Roses Are Red
by SilverDragon14
Summary: A girl gets transferred into the YGO world and must help save it. But she's so naive, will she realize it in time? Whoo! After Ra-knows-how-long I finished!
1. 1

Hey peoples! SilverDragon here! There's a new Sennen/Millennium Item (complete with a new yami!) ****TEA TORTURE!!**** So if you like Tea, DON'T READ AND DON'T FLAME ME 'CAUSE OF IT!!!!  
  
This chap is really only the intro; so don't worry it'll get better! .... Bakura, do the disclaimer.  
  
Bakura: No!  
  
SilverDragon: Pweeze?  
  
Bakura: No.  
  
SD: I'll give you a pixie stick...  
  
Bakura: ...SilverDragondosen'townYGO. Gimme, gimme!  
  
SD: *coughcough*  
  
Bakura: ...She doesn't own it YET. Happy?  
  
SD: ^_^ Very.  
  
"speech"  
  
/hikari to yami/  
  
//yami to hikari//  
  
Chapter one: It Begins...  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
"Somehow I *will* get the pharaoh's power! It is rightfully mine and I shall have it!" Marik said. He paced the room as his underlings glanced nervously at each other. He slammed his fists on the table and everyone flinched, as his roar ricocheted in the stone-walled room and seemed to grind their very nerves, "It WILL be MINE!"  
  
"Malik, Sir," an oily voice said, " I know of something that could take the pharaoh out of your way."  
  
"What?" Marik snapped.  
  
"A spell, to get rid of the pharaoh," came the eager reply. He slowly approached his Rare Hunter.  
  
"Tell me."  
  
The man produced a black-bound book from under his cloak. "Everything you need to know is in here."  
  
Marik took the black book and asked slyly, "How long have you had this?"  
  
Came the reply: "It has been passed from father to son since before any one can remember."  
  
"And how long have you been one of my *beloved* helpers?"  
  
The naïve man, thinking that he had gotten on his master's good side, answered, "Oh, for a long while."  
  
"Really?" Marik said fake-sweetly.  
  
"Oh, yes!" he lied.  
  
"Guards!" Marik roared, "Execute this man for treason! He has had a book that I could've used a long time ago when the pharaoh was weak. He kept it a secret from me! Take him away!" He thought scornfully as he watched as the man was dragged from the room screaming revenge.  
  
Yugi's point of view  
  
/Hey, Yami?/ Yugi asked mentally.  
  
//Yes, abiou?// the ancient spirit answered.  
  
/Do you think that Marik will try to get the Millennium Puzzle again?/  
  
//Yes, I'm sure that he will. But not any time soon. Rest little one, don't worry, I'll protect you.//  
  
'Yes but who will protect you?' Yugi thought to himself as he fell asleep.  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
"Ah, yes, here it is..." Marik whispered to himself as he flipped through the old book searching for the spell that would help him. 'Now I will have the unstoppable power of the pharaoh by sending him to the Shadow Realm!' Marik thought to him self. He started to read the incantation: "Avade kenoji reena!" He read the spell faster and faster, "Cimbardo marasa Filone hemba! Kanoka Rinvasa loteri damja!!"  
  
Yugi's point of view  
  
Yugi awoke from his sleep to incredible pain. It felt as if someone was trying to peel his skin off from the outside and inside at the same time.  
  
"Aaarrggghhh!" His cry of pain was like that of an animal caught in a trap. But no one heard him because of the sheet wrapped around his head and body. He felt weak and sleepy with the white-hot pain searing through him. /YAMI!/ was all he could manage in his weakened state. He felt the spirit leaving him just as he passed out from the intense pain. 


	2. 2

Seto: SilverDragon does not own YGO or anything else in her fics.  
  
SD: I do own Zora, the new Item and yami. (which I will not tell you of now.) *sniff* I wish I owned Seto-chan, though!  
  
Seto: *rolls eyes*  
  
Zora's point of view  
  
BLEEP! BLEEP! BLEEP!  
  
Ugh...no. Don't wanna go to school today...'  
  
BLEEP! BLEEP! BLEEP!  
  
"SHUT UP!" Zora yelled at the alarm clock as she threw a pillow at it.  
  
"Zora? Are you up sweetie?" came a pleasant voice from the hallway.  
  
"No, it's the giant radioactive dustbunnies who you always seem to miss when you vacuum come to make all humans their slaves." Zora answered grumpily.  
  
"Morning honeybunch!" greeted her mother as she walked into the room and turned off the alarm clock, which had fallen to the floor and was still bleeping. Zora remembered that there was a huge math test that she didn't study for. Fortunately, she knew how to play sick and her mother didn't know the difference between a fake cough and a real one.  
  
However, she had to make this one perfect because the last time she tried it her mother surprised her as she went downstairs to get o.j. to 'soothe her throat'. Zora's mother had stepped around the corner and Zora (expecting her mother to be gone) had shouted in surprise. Then she was, literally, dragged upstairs and forced to make the bus on time. It was a nightmare of flying clothes, shoes, and breakfast items. Just the thought almost made Zora smile.  
  
//Hmm.//  
  
'What was that? Whatever...now to more important things...'  
  
"CoughcoughCOUGHcough!" Zora faked. 'Man, I am so good! Maybe I should take Theatre class.'  
  
10 minutes later...  
  
'Hmm...chocolate chip, vanilla, or rocky road...? Decisions, decisions.'  
  
//Mix 'em all together!//  
  
'Wait. Did I think that??'  
  
//No, I told you.//  
  
"Aah! Who's there?! Show yourself! I have an ice-cream scoop and I'm not afraid to use it!"  
  
//Hey relax. I won't hurt you.//  
  
"Show yourself," Zora demanded of the air.  
  
//Alright, but don't be frightened.// said the voice in Zora's head. The air in front of her became fuzzy, almost. Like she saw it through bleary eyes or smudged glass. Then the fuzziness took shape and color. It was, it was...Yami!!!  
  
~~~~~  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
"NO! How can this be?! He's supposed to be gone but I can still sense him!" Marik screeched. "Where is he?! I know, this is my hikari's accursed sister's fault! Oh, I am going to make Isis pay for this!" Marik stormed past eavesdropping Rare Hunters who looked utterly terrified that they were caught. "I'll deal with you later!" Marik stomped off leaving the bewildered Hunters behind.  
  
Zora's point of view  
  
"Either I'm asleep or totally insane." Zora said staring at the newly appeared Yami now lounging on her couch watching a particularly annoying soap opera.  
  
"Neither." Yami called to her. "And while you're up, will you get me a soda?"  
  
"No, it's ten in the morning. ...I can't believe I'm talking to the star of my favorite show, who also happens to be a cartoon!" Zora sounded just slightly hysterical.  
  
"Show?"  
  
"Yeah, show. It's called 'Yu-Gi-Oh'."  
  
"Yugi-what?"  
  
"Here, I've got a tape of an episode," Zora put the tape into the VCR.  
  
"Oh, hang on. Let me get dressed first." Zora ran up the stairs two at a time. 'OhmygodohmygodohmygodohmyGOD! What do I wear? Hmm...what's actually clean??' Zora finally decided on a black tank top, jeans, sneakers, and lots of bangles. She looked at herself in the mirror. 'Huh...something's still missing...' wait! I know! She ran into her mother's room and took the black trench coat. 'Oh, yeah. I look damn good!'  
  
She went back downstairs. "Okay! You ready?" she asked Yami. He nodded. Zora pushed the 'play' button.  
  
The t.v. glowed eerily. Yami asked, "Is that supposed to happen?" As if in response the television glowed more brightly.  
  
"Uh, no."  
  
Then the ground dipped and swooped and the walls swayed and bulged and all the while the t.v. grew brighter. The colors faded and everything seemed to go flat. Zora looked around, which was hard because it felt as if someone was controlling her muscles. Yami, the room, and herself looked like a drawing! There was no color and everything seemed 2-D. It was too much. Zora plunged into unconsciousness. 


	3. 3

SD: Yeah, yeah. I get it. You want to read the fic, don't you? Guess what? I WROTE IT!!  
  
Readers:??  
  
SD: That means I can UN-write it! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!  
  
Readers: *whack SD on the head* Just get on with it!  
  
SD: Yes'm...  
  
Disclaimer: I plead the fifth!! You can't make me talk! It's in the Bill of Rights!  
  
Zora's point of view  
  
"Zora. Zora?"  
  
'I knew it was a dream... I mean how can a cartoon come to your house, talk to you, and then you get sucked into the television with him?'  
  
"Zora! Wake up!"  
  
'And there's mom trying to get me up for that stupid math test. My life is so dull. Oh well, it was a nice change.' "Yes, mother. I'm up, I'm up." Zora mumbled into the carpet. 'hang on...carpet?!...' Zora's eyes snapped open. She stared uncomprehending into violet eyes not two inches away.  
  
"Hi sleepyhead!" the owner of the eyes practically yelled at her.  
  
"Aah!" Zora shouted in surprise. She jerked back and hit her head on the wall really hard.  
  
"Yami made breakfast! He must really like you, Zora. By the way, I'm Yugi!" Yugi stated happily.  
  
"I'm Zora," she said rather only after saying this did she realize that Yugi already knew this.  
  
"Well, come on! Let's go see what Yami's cooking!" Yugi said bounding down the stairs. Zora followed and thought to herself: 'Man, Yugi needs to chill. He's never this hyper on the show! But I guess that really doesn't matter now, does it?'  
  
Delicious smells drifting through the house were making Zora's stomach growl. She turned the corner and burst out laughing! Yami was wearing a pink frilly apron and he was covered in pancake mix. "What?! Oh, be quiet! This was a gift and I've never made pancakes before!" Yami sounded exasperated. He pointed to a small pile of burnt pancakes and some extra crispy (burnt) bacon. Still chuckling, Zora took over. She wasn't much better than Yami, but nothing was seriously burned, and that's what they make maple syrup for.  
  
Later...  
  
"Hey, Yugi, Yami!" Zora called. "I'm gonna go for a walk. Wanna come?"  
  
"Sorry, Zora, but we have to duel people. We have things to do this morning." came Yugi's reply.  
  
"Okay," Zora said and walked outside. She continued down the street and alleys with nothing in particular on her mind. Then Zora bumped into a poorly dressed woman. "Oh, I'm sorry" she apologized and started to walk away.  
  
"Wait!" cried the woman. "I have something for you." The woman grabbed her wrist, put something on it, and ran off. Zora looked at her wrist. "What the hell?!" The woman had put a gold bracelet on her! One of the links even had the sennen eye on it. 'Strange...it feels kind of tingly. Maybe I should find Yami and talk to him about it.' So Zora went off in search of Yami and Yugi.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
"ISIS!" Marik roared. "Come on out! I know you're here!"  
  
"Ah, little brother. There you are." came a soft voice for the depths of the room.  
  
"Isis, you bitch, you gave the pharaoh's annoying girlfriend a Sennen Item! Where did you get it and WHY did you give it to HER?!" Marik screamed, enraged, at his hikari's sibling. Isis merely smiled lightly and disappeared, leaving Marik swearing and cursing in her wake.  
  
Zora's point of view  
  
'I wonder what that woman was doing with a solid gold bracelet? And why does it have a sennen eye on it? ...Could it be a -'  
  
"Hey! Watch it!" said a familiar voice near her navel.  
  
"Huh? Oh I'm sorry! I didn't see you there," Zora apologized to a boy with unruly black hair. He was rather short and dressed in jeans and a red T- shirt.  
  
He peered up at her and said, "Hey, do I know you? My name's Mokuba." Zora thought hard before she answered. 'What do you say to someone that you've seen a hundred times on Saturday mornings that thinks he knows you from somewhere? 'Hey! Hi! You, in my opinion, are the most annoying character in my favorite cartoon show!'?  
  
She almost smiled, and decided against it. "Uh, no, not that I know of..."  
  
Undaunted, Mokuba Kaiba said, "Well, you look familiar anyway. Hey, do you know where my big brother is? I lost him." Zora grinned inwardly, the chance to talk to, at the very least see, THE Seto Kaiba came along once in a million trillion years. She wasn't going to miss it.  
  
"I'm real sorry, Mokuba, I haven't. But I can help you look for him." So Zora and Mokuba scoured the crowded square that was the heart of downtown Domino looking for Seto Kaiba. After almost half an hour of fruitless searching, they sat down on a bench to rest. The sun was swelteringly hot.  
  
"Mokuba! There you are!" came Seto's commanding voice from behind them.  
  
"Big Brother!" Mokuba screeched. "I'm so happy to see you!" Zora grinned at the sight of seemingly cold-hearted Seto smiling with relief at finding his younger sibling. They turned their backs on Zora so she figured that they didn't want her around anymore.  
  
She was stung that Mokuba didn't even say good-bye or something. "Bye, Mokuba!" she said. Zora started to walk away thinking savagely that the least that arrogant millionaire could've done was thank her for looking after his brother. Not to mention a little 'thank you' reward would've been nice, too.  
  
"Let's go Mokuba." Seto said in his carefully guarded voice.  
  
"Oh, Seto...! Wait!" Moukba whined. He ran back to Zora, grabbed her hand, and 'dragged' her towards Seto. It was completely unnecessary. "Can she come over for just a little while?" Mokuba pleaded, giving Seto the biggest, cutest, most adorable puppy-dog eyes he could muster. Seto looked her over as if searching for flaws. He glanced at Mokuba once more, and the sight seemed to sway him.  
  
"Alright," he said grudgingly, as if it were against his better judgement. "Come on."  
  
Zora followed Seto to his private limo as the irrepressible Mokuba bounded ahead and back chattering about the latest duel-disk system and at the same time upbraiding them about walking so slowly.  
  
~*~*  
  
"So this is the newest duel-disk?" Zora asked holding up an even newer model than those used in the Battle City Tournament. She was genuinely curious about it and all of the Kaiba technologies, she had asked about everything too, but Seto seemed to take offence to her natural curiosity.  
  
"Obviously." He answered coldly.  
  
"Want to see how it works?" Mokuba asked. Actually, it was more of a command, considering that he had snatched it out of her hand. She gave him one of her weaker cards from the deck she always carried to try out. Mokuba started up the device and put the monster card in it.  
  
The air wavered, and as Zora watched, the waves took shape. An Uraby had appeared where only moments before there had been just thin air!  
  
The monster looked around, unsheathed its claws, and roared defiance to the three humans. "Amazing!" Zora murmured. "It looks so real...can I touch it?" This last part was directed at Seto. He looked at her with an expression she couldn't read.  
  
He nodded, and Zora let out a squeal of happiness and ran toward the dinosaur with childish glee (who was looking at Mokuba like he was on the menu). She did not see one of Seto's rare smiles slowly flashing in her direction. When he realized that he was smiling, he blushed scarlet and quickly strode form the room muttering about some work he had to do. He didn't look up from the floor until he reached the sanctity of one of his many research/computer rooms.  
  
The dinosaur (A.N. that vaguely resembled a theropod, similar to the mighty T.Rex, with short 'arms' and long legs and feet. Yes, I'm a dino fan. ...DON"T YOU EVEN DARE THINK OF REX RAPTOR!!) looked at Zora warily. But as she reached out and scratched its chin and eye ridges it accepted the caresses and just stood there, looking lovingly at her.  
  
"Mokuba, this thing is so life-like! It might as well be real!" Zora said amazed at the Uraby.  
  
"I know!" Mokuba replied adoringly. "Seto had this great idea of combining his duel-disk technology and his virtual-reality game together. Isn't he great?"  
  
"Yeah." Zora said thoughtfully. "Maybe I should go and thank him for letting me use it." She bade Mokuba farewell and started to find her way to Seto's hiding place.  
  
Three closets, two bathrooms, five media/staff rooms, two floors and half an hour later Zora stumbled upon Seto Kaiba in his favorite computer room. Seto looked very uncomfortable at being trapped by his guest. "Uh, Seto...I want to, um, thank you...for, um, you know..." Zora said suddenly shy. And that's when Yami decided to barge in.  
  
SD: Yeah, that's it. Yes, I suck, I already know.  
  
Chibi Ryou: WEVIEW!! 


	4. 4

SD: Here's more Roses Are Red!  
  
Ryou: Just so I know, WHY is it called roses are red?  
  
SD: ...I couldn't think of anything better.  
  
Disclaimer: i. no. own. YGO. you got that? good.  
  
Yami's point of view  
  
/=Yugi to Yami  
  
//=Yami to Yugi  
  
/Hey, Yami, you still alive?/  
  
//Mm.//  
  
/I wonder if Joey's all right. /  
  
//Mmhm.//  
  
/Is that cat on fire?!/  
  
//Uhnm. //  
  
/*grr* Hey, it's Anzu coming to give us one of her friendship speeches! /  
  
//Aah! Where?! Get her away! ...Oh. Sorry, abiou. I guess I'm just preoccupied. *leaves puzzle* //  
  
"You're worried about Zora."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Yami all but snapped at his little light.  
  
"Why don't we go find her? I need a break after all that walking. What do you say?" Yugi said pulling the spirit along. They were walking for a while when they bumped into Tristan and Joey. "Hi guys! How are you? Say, have either of you seen Zora?" Yugi asked hopefully.  
  
"Hey, Yug'." Joey said. "Yeah we saw 'er. She was walkin' wit Mokuba an' dat jerk Kaiba." Yami let loose a mute growl. He didn't know why he didn't trust Kaiba with Zora, he just didn't.  
  
"I think they were heading back to his mansion," Tristan was saying.  
  
"Thanks, guys!" Yugi said. "Come on Yami! Let's go." It would just be their luck that Kaiba's mansion would be on one side of town and that they were on the other. It would also be their luck that Joey came with them, then insisted that he drank three large Cokes and was complaining the entire time that he had to go to the bathroom so bad he would even go in Kaiba's bathroom. They finally made it, without accidents, to Seto's house.  
  
Yugi rang the doorbell. After a moment, Mokuba opened the door. "Hurry up, Mokuba! Where's the john?!" Joey asked urgently dancing from foot to foot. Mokuba giggled and signaled a maid to take the desperate Joey to the nearest bathroom.  
  
"So, Yugi, Yami, what brings you here?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Yami was wor-uh, looking for Zora," Yugi said quickly, "and then Joey said that she came here with you guys."  
  
"Oh, okay. Hey, Yugi, you wanna see the new duel-disk system?" Mokuba asked excitedly.  
  
"There's another one? Yeah, of course!" Yugi replied just as excitedly.  
  
"Where did you say your brother was, Mokuba?" Yami called to the two retreating figures. Mokuba turned while still running. "Uh, second floor, fourth door on the right!" He then turned and dashed after Yugi.  
  
"...two..." Yami muttered as he walked down the hallway, "...three...four!" He stopped and cocked an ear to the door. There were voices coming from inside. "Seto," a feminine voice Yami realized as Zora's said, "...I want to, uh, thank you...for, um, you know..." Yami could stand no more. He burst into the room to find a shocked Zora and an irritated Seto.  
  
Yami strode across the fair-sized room to Seto. As he looked up at the tall Kaiba, he was seething. Without a second thought he punched Seto in the stomach and as Seto bent forward trying to breathe, Yami swung his fist into his left eye, nearly breaking his own hand. Seto fell down stunned.  
  
"Yami! What are you doing?!" Zora yelled, "Have you lost your mind?!" Yami looked surprised at what he did to his hikari's rival.  
  
"Uh. Sorry?"  
  
Seto just stared blankly at him a bruise around his eye forming already.  
  
"How about we go now, Yami?" Zora said pushing Yami out the door. "We'll see you later. 'K Seto?" Seto was sitting on the floor was still stunned, he looked at them and waved good-bye distractedly. "What-" Zora began, but Yami cut her off.  
  
"How about we don't mention it?" he said. Zora didn't get to answer because as they rounded the corner they ran into Yugi and a bored Mokuba.  
  
"Hey, you guys want to come to my birthday party?" Mokuba asked, suddenly hyper. "There's gonna be lots of food and music and people and games and...and...food...and, stuff."  
  
"Sure we'll come," Yugi said quickly. "Right Yami?" Yugi asked, turning toward him. "Pweese?" Yugi said giving the world's biggest and most adorable chibi eyes.  
  
"Like he's gonna say 'no'," Zora cooed, bending down to hug the adorable Yugi. "You are too cute for your own good, you know that?"  
  
"Yep!" And with that the three left for home.  
  
Joey's point of view  
  
'Oh, great! Now where am I?' Joey thought to himself. He had been wandering around for fifteen minutes. Then he saw Mokuba heading down the stairs. "Mokuba!" Joey called, "Do ya know where Yug' went?"  
  
"Yeah," he called back, "they left ten minutes ago." As Joey stood frozen with shock, Mokuba jumped down the stairs. "THEY LEFT ME!!"  
  
Zora's point of view (3rd person)  
  
'I can't believe Yami punched Seto! What was he thinking?!' Zora was sitting on the couch with Yami on one side and Yugi on the other. They were watching the t.v. when the door swung back on its hinges with a resounding "BANG!".  
  
Framed in the doorway was a very soggy Joey. A flash of lightning ripped across the sky and the thunder followed soon after. No one spoke. "You LEFT me at KAIBA'S!" came Joey's accusing cry.  
  
'I think I'm going to go now...' Zora thought Yugi apparently had the same idea because as one they slowly edged out of the room, leaving Yami to deal with the wet and angry Joseph.  
  
~Three days later at Mokuba's party...~  
  
"Wow! Look at all the people!" Ryou said to Zora. "There's Seto, Mokuba, Bakura, Yami, Yugi, Malik, Joey, Tristen, Anzu, me, and you! Wow!"  
  
"Yes, Ryou. Lots of people. I get it. You don't need to say the name of everyone who walks through the door." But Ryou wasn't listening; he was staring into space with a vacant grin. "Ryou. Ryou?" Zora said waving her hand in front of his face. He didn't even blink.  
  
Zora left the vapid Ryou to his own devices and sought out Seto and Mokuba.  
  
When she came up to them, Mokuba started to clutch at his hair and yelled, "No! No! You can't! It took me years to get it this long! AAH! GIANT SCISSORS!!" Zora turned, bewildered, to Seto.  
  
He looked as shocked as she did. Suddenly he fell to his knees and started to grovel to Mokuba. "Oh mighty Blue Eyes White Dragon, most powerful, I am your servant!" (Mokuba was now running around in little circles screaming about giant floating scissors that wanted to cut his hair to a normal length).  
  
"I think I'm going to go over there now," said Zora as she moved away from the brothers Kaiba.  
  
"Oh hey, Zora!" Joey called to her, waving from across the room. She walked over to him. Joey got a glazed look in his eyes, he said, "Wow! I never realized how much food Kaiba had. Mmm...food...!" Joey seized a pillow and promptly began to chew on the tough fabric.  
  
"Joey!"  
  
"Don't worry about him," a voice said behind her. It was Bakura. "He was always critically insane."  
  
Zora eyed him, "Okay, and you are?"  
  
Bakura, however, was staring at the chips and dip like it was going to fly away at any moment. "Hah HAH! Gold!" He rushed over to the table and started to shove the food into his pockets.  
  
'What the hell is up with everyone?!' Zora, very disturbed now, ran to Tristan and Malik, and pulled them to Bakura (now putting handfuls of chicken wings into his pants), gibbering wildly about an insane tomb robber wanting to horde food in his pants, and unbalanced friends chewing on pillows and running from giant scissors they alone can see.  
  
Tristan then ran after Bakura, who was running around aimlessly and shoving food into random places on his body (not those random places you nasty person!) saying, "Oh, don't run away Serenity! I love you! Marry me!"  
  
Zora caught a glimpse of something that made her double take. Malik was in the process of trying to strangle a slipper. "Ha ha ha! Now die you foolish mortal!"  
  
Anzu came over. Neither liked the other, needless to say, since Anzu liked Yami and she considered Zora a 'threat'. "Oh hi, Zora." She sneered. Zora narrowed her eyes at the exceedingly annoying girl. She was thinking of many painful and humiliating injuries she could inflict on Anzu, when Anzu suddenly collapsed on the floor and started to yell that Zora had paralyzed her.  
  
Zora couldn't handle it, "ARGH!" she cried. "You people are driving me insane!"  
  
Yugi and Yami came over to see what she was yelling about. Only Yugi, however, made it to Zora's side. Yami had tripped over Seto who was in the process of making a Blue Eyes White Dragon idol out of Popsicle sticks.  
  
"Whee! Look at all the toys and games and little floaty hearts and bubbles and moons and stars and..." Yugi went on and on in this dazed state. Yami had, finally, realized what was going on.  
  
"Zora," he called to her from a safe distance, "what's that on your wrist?"  
  
"This?" she asked. "I don't know. I think it's a Sennen Item. A hobo in the street gave it to me. I meant to show it to you, but I kinda forgot."  
  
"Well, take it off!" Zora did so and instantly everyone was back to normal. Since they had no memory of their hallucinations, Seto wondered why he was covered in Popsicle sticks and glue, Bakura wondered why he had food in his pockets, and Joey was spitting out the stuffing from the pillows he had ripped open. Seto was not happy at having glue on his favorite trench coat, or having most of his food down Bakura's shirt, or having his pillows and slippers ripped to shreds.  
  
"Out! Out!" he commanded, shooing everybody to the door, "because of you, I have to clean all this up! Go home before that mutt chews up more of my stuff and I have to put him in a kennel!" As they were unceremoniously dumped on the doorstep Joey humphed. "Dat jerk tinks he's so great...huh! I'd like ta show him a thing or two."  
  
"Now, Joey," said Anzu, "Kaiba was just mad. Now if he had a few good friends like us around, we could help him with all of his problems because that's what friends do. Right? Right guys?."  
  
Anzu found herself standing alone and five figures down the street, looking very relieved that they could no longer hear her. 


	5. 5

SD: ...Hi.  
  
Yugi: What's the matter??  
  
SD: I've run out of ideas. For this story and the other one.  
  
Yugi: Don't worry! I'm sure the reviewers will give you some tips! Hinthint!  
  
Disclaimer: *annoying stuffy-teacher-voice* Now, class. What have we learned today? *class in a monotone:* That you do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything connected to it except this story. *me:* Thank you, class.  
  
Zora's point of view (ok, whenever you see this or other POVs, just assume that they're all in the 3rd person, 'cause they are!)  
  
'Ugh...look at her. O.k., now that's just disgusting!' Zora was watching Anzu trying to catch Yami's attention. She had just bent over and was practically waving her butt in Yami's face. He turned several shades of green before she sat back down.  
  
She, Zora, needed to get Yami away from Anzu before he threw up on her. 'Not that that would be a bad thing...'  
  
"Hey, I'm gonna take a walk on the wharf!" called Zora into the living room. "Want to come with me, Yami?" He detached himself from the clinging Anzu and hurriedly walked out the door.  
  
Anzu was devastated, "Wait for me, Yami-koi!" and she, too, left.  
  
"That is not going to go well..." said Grandpa. He didn't like Anzu any more than anyone else, but he didn't want to see her hurt.  
  
(A.N. Please note the random foreshadowing.)  
  
Zora put the Sennen Bracelet back on. She and Yami had spent the past half- hour talking about it and the Items in general. They had come to the conclusion that it was a forgotten Sennen Item.  
  
"Here you are!" came a voice some distance away. "Oh, no..."  
  
Evil incarnate bounded toward Yami and Zora. Anzu's pathetically small brain had finally realized that she had lost them. She had been petting the puppies at the pet store when one bit her. Yami and Zora had left after five minutes of her rolling on the ground nursing three little scratches yelling that she was going to die from blood loss. The dog had looked extremely pleased with itself.  
  
In a flash Anzu was all over Yami. 'Must...control...must...be calm...breathe...' Zora thought desperately. Anzu's screechy voice, however, penetrated Zora's thoughts.  
  
"Come on, Yami-koi! I want to go somewhere that isn't filled with nasty things," Anzu stared pointedly at Zora.  
  
Zora's eye twitched.  
  
Perhaps Yami noticed that Zora was clenching and un-clenching her hands as if she wished that they were around Anzu's neck. Or maybe he saw her trembling with suppressed rage. Or that she was staring daggers at Anzu. Or maybe he noticed that-- ...you get the idea. In any case he tried to soothe her.  
  
"Why don't you come with us, Zora?"  
  
Zora's eye twitched, again.  
  
"Or you could stay here? Or go back to the Game Shop?"  
  
Needless to say, it didn't work.  
  
She tried to tell Yami, very loudly, that Anzu had pushed her too far this time. That she had taken the snubbing long enough. But it felt as if someone were controlling her mouth. Zora tried to move toward Yami, but her legs wouldn't respond.  
  
"Oh, shut up!" Zora heard her voice say to the still babbling Yami. He stopped short from the tone of her voice. "Just. Shut. Up. This is between Anzu and me, now."  
  
Zora was getting very scared, now that her legs were taking her to Anzu who stood still, apparently frozen with shock. By the time Anzu's feeble mind had absorbed the fact that Zora meant what she said, she was in front of her. "You wouldn't dare!" Anzu sneered into the face not four inches away.  
  
"I would, and I could." Zora's voice whispered icily. Zora, herself, actually took pleasure in seeing Anzu's disgustingly happy face turn into one of fear and horror.  
  
//Yeah, that's the spirit! ...Hah! Get it? Spirit? Heh heh. I'm good. Well... Not really. Oh whatever!//  
  
Before Zora had time to register this, her fist swung forward, hitting Anzu in the stomach and knocking the wind out of her. As Anzu dropped to her knees, trying to breathe, Zora's knee came up of it's own accord and slammed into Anzu's chin, knocking her back. She landed near the edge of the wharf and skidded on the slippery wood into the water. The combination of blow and fall had knocked Anzu out. She slid into the water with a small splash and didn't come back up.  
  
Zora suddenly flopped to the ground, and she realized that she could move her body again. She also realized that she had killed the most annoying creature on the face of the planet. If she were home, she would've cheered. But she was devastated. She had KILLED someone! And then there was the tiny detail that she was Yami's friend. Granted nobody actually liked her, it would still be awkward if they went home and Yugi asked where Anzu was. 'Oh, yeah. I killed her. G'night!'  
  
Zora turned, wide-eyed, to the spirit, tears delicately balanced on her eye lashes, afraid that he would hurt her or something. But he only looked at her, and then at the water, back to her, water again, shrugged, and offered her a hand up. 'Oookaay... I'm not going to dig my own grave here. He can be the first to mention it.'  
  
Apparently he was thinking the same thing because neither said anything of it on they way home. Or in the home for that matter. In fact Joey, Yugi, and Tristan, who all had gotten there after they left, made no mention to the mysterious disappearance of Anzu.  
  
This left Zora to mull over everything that had happened today. Not a good thing considering that from deaths to strange voices to weirdly acting friends, there was a lot to think about. As she lay in her bed gently falling asleep, something shocked her upright, staring wildly about the room.  
  
That something was: //Hi, my name's Siri. What's yours? //  
  
*in case you people didn't realize, all of the Sennen (Millennium) Items have a special power: Sennen Ring can find other Items, Sennen Necklace can show the past and near future, Sennen Eye can read people's minds, Sennen Rod can control people's minds, Sennen Key/Ankh can enter people's minds, Sennen Scales can weigh people's souls (good or bad) (I think. It hasn't been on the show yet...) the Sennen Puzzle can, ... well it holds Yami's spirit. (yes I know the Ring has a spirit has one too, so hush!) So the Sennen Bracelet can make people see (hallucinate) whatever the wearer most connects with that person. (Seto: Blue Eyes, Bakura: treasure, Anzu: pain... hehe!)  
  
SilverDragon: WARNING! All little kids leave the room! Run, kids, run! PG13 stuff and you're lucky it's not worse! (*Readers: * *sarcastically* yeah, right. 'lucky'.) YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! Now, read.  
  
Zora's point of view  
  
//Hi, my name's Siri. What's yours?//  
  
"Uhh..."  
  
//Forgot our name, have we? //  
  
"No, we have not!"  
  
"Zora?" a voice floated up from the living room. "Who are you talking to?"  
  
"It's... it's nobody," she called down.  
  
//Nobody?! How dare you call me nobody! // The voice in her head raged. //And I still don't know who you are! //  
  
Zora wondered if she could talk to this voice in her head like she had with Yami. //Oh, aren't you the smart one!//  
  
/Real original. You're a regular Einstein. /  
  
//I didn't see you helping! //  
  
/Why would I diss myself? /  
  
//...I. Don't. Know. And I still don't know who you are. //  
  
/How could you not know? You are living inside me and you even took over my body and killed someone! /  
  
//YOU STILL DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION!! //  
  
/*Sigh* my name is Zora. I am good friends with two, or should I say four?, schizophrenics; have obviously become one myself; I inadvertently killed someone; made nine people hallucinate at the same time; got sucked into my television; I talk to the people in my head; and got a five-thousand year old bracelet from a hobo that has a spirit inside of it, that is also a lost Sennen Item. Yes, hello. My name is Zora. Welcome to lunatics anonymous. ...does that answer your stupid question? /  
  
//That and so much more. //  
  
/I have to sleep now./  
  
//Already?! But I just got up!// /I don't care. I'm tired. And I'm still not sure whether or not you're just a figment of my imagination, so I am going to go to sleep and hope to God that you're gone when I wake up./  
  
Zora fell asleep soon after, and Siri took over her hikari's body without Zora knowing. (A.N. don't ask me how that's possible. It just is. So there.)  
  
Siri's point of view  
  
(//=talking to self (since Zora's asleep))  
  
//Hmm. What's for fun around here?// Siri quietly crept downstairs. //Ryou and Bakura came over from the sound of things. Let's go see what they're up to...// (A.N. Siri can read Zora's memories. Just an F.Y.I..)  
  
She walked into the living room and sat next to Bakura, saying to Yami and Yugi that she couldn't sleep. They were watching a suspence/horror/thriller. //Ahh, perfect. I love to ruin people's love lives. Mortals are so pathetic.//  
  
Siri scooted closer to Bakura, putting her arm around his. "Hi, Bakura," Siri said softly.  
  
"Well, hello Zora." Bakura very surprised. But if something was going to make the Pharaoh jealous, he was going to do it.  
  
"My name's not Zora."  
  
"Oh, really? Then what is it?"  
  
Siri looked at him in mock surprise, then smirking, she said, "You don't know? Then guess. For every part of my name you get right, like which letters where, you can kiss me. And for every one you get wrong, you still have to kiss me."  
  
Bakura grinned mischievously as her caught on to her little game. "And what do I get if I win?"  
  
Siri, still smirking, said, "Now, Bakura! That's a surprise!"  
  
"Deal! Alright, is your name start with a 'K'?"  
  
"Wrong!"  
  
Bakura kissed her on the cheek. "Does your name have an 'S'?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
He kissed her on the lips.  
  
Siri decided to give him a hint, okay, a big hint. "It's four letters long, begins with an 's' and it has two 'i's'."  
  
"Is your name...Sini?"  
  
"Close enough for me!" Siri pulled him into a long kiss, only stopping to breathe.  
  
"What do you say we go somewhere more private for my surprise?" Bakura growled, nibbling gently on her ear. She lead Bakura to her room, very aware of Yami's puzzled look then black scowl as he realized what was going on, but he couldn't stop it considering he was in a duel with Yugi and the fact that they were 'not together', though everyone saw the connection. (A.N. obviously he thinks it's Zora, for all of you incredibly slow people. honestly, if you were any slower at this point, you'd be going backwards!)  
  
In Zora's room, Siri shrugged off her trench coat (I have no idea why she's still wearing it) and let it drop to the floor. Bakura pulled her onto the bed, pulling her into a long searing kiss, his hands down her back.  
  
At that very moment, Yami barged in. (A.N. he has impeccably bad timing, doesn't he?) At that very moment Zora woke up and took control. Apparently only Bakura noticed the difference because he stopped caressing her back.  
  
Zora was completely bewildered, "Uh, um...heh...oops?" Yami just stormed out of the room.  
  
/SIRI!!/  
  
Bakura decided it was safer away from Zora as it was apparent that she was screaming at someone in her head and she could explode at any moment. "Um, I think I'm going to go now."  
  
That's when Zora blew up. "Get out!" she screamed shrilly, throwing various objects at him.  
  
//*little kid voice* Ooh! Ooh! Fun! Let's do that again! please?//  
  
/If you weren't in my body, I'd kill you!/  
  
//Ha ha stupid!//  
  
/SIRI!!!/  
  
//Heh heh. Oopsies? // 


	6. 6

SilverDragon: Hi guys and gals! Sorry about the wait, my friend has been pestering me to write more of a fic I haven't even posted yet. *glares at Fade* Anywho, here's chapter 11, "Anzu's Adventures In The Real World, Part One." No, not where Zora came from, you see, Anzu lives in her own world where everyone is *friends*. (*shudders*) So by right, everyone else is in the real world. Get it? If you don't, may I suggest that you go back to reading Dr. Seuss, as quite obviously this higher brand of writing style is beyond your comprehension. For all you people who actually know what 'comprehension' means, keep reading.  
  
//=yami t hikari  
  
/=hikari to yami  
  
blah blah=private thoughts  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
'How am I going to get at the pharaoh? He can always sense my mind slaves... wait, didn't one of his friends die?' "That's it! I'll use that annoying female to do my bidding! I'm such the genius!" Marik crowed to himself. He winced as his grin creased the bruise on his cheek. He'd beaten his stupid hikari for going to that moronic party and making himself look like a fool. Of course, since they shared a body, that resulted in him beating himself up.  
  
Marik read the incantation to revive Anzu and bring her to him. As Anzu's body slowly rose, Marik got his best scheme yet. "Anzu!" he commanded of the slow-witted slave, "I want you to steal all of the Sennen Items and bring them to me!"  
  
Anzu's glazed eyes flickered as she registered this command. Suddenly she lunged forward to the Sennen Rod and attempted to take it from Marik. "No you stupid female! Not MY Sennen Item!" Marik yelled as he beat her off him with the Rod.  
  
"Oh. Okay. I go get for you master!" and with that Anzu took off. Straight into a wall. Marik sighed as he watched the dizzy Anzu weave out of the room, no doubt about to walk into every wall, table, chair, person, and every other thing you can think of, on her way out. "At the risk of sounding cliched, why can you never find good help these days?"  
  
Isis's point of view  
  
"Your Sennen Item will soon be my master's!" Anzu said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.  
  
Isis was unimpressed, "You need to work on that line."  
  
Neither moved.  
  
Then, just as suddenly as Anzu appeared, hundreds of little fuzzy pink bunnies came to the strange scene. "Ah, my evil minions!" Isis exclaimed happily.  
  
Anzu snorted, "Evil? Those cute little things?" She scooped one up and petted it. "Ha! Evil indeed!" The 'cute' bunny reared up on its hind legs and bared its blood-encrusted fangs. The other two hundred and ninety-nine did the same. Before Anzu knew what was happening, she was covered in fuzzy pink fur balls.  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
"Argh! How can you die when you're already dead?! Gah, stupid mortal. Go and steal a different Sennen Item."  
  
"Yes, master. ...OW!" Anzu had run into a wall again.  
  
Siri's point of view  
  
//Stupid hikari...it was only for fun. But nooo...she gets all upset...humph!//  
  
"Zora! Give me your Sennen Item or face the consequences!" Anzu exclaimed.  
  
"Hm? Oh. It's you. I thought I killed you."  
  
"Well think again! Ha ha! I will have all the Sennen Items, or my name isn't...isn't..."  
  
"You are beyond pathetic. Therefore, you must die. Again. ...YAAAHHHH!!" Siri yelled as she flung herself at Anzu.  
  
(A.N. I'm not going to say what Siri did, trust me; you don't want to know. And if you do... let's just say that you really don't want to piss of a homicidal spirit who's already looking for something to maim.)  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
"Okay. You obviously can't think for yourself. Duh, you're a mind-slave, but still, even mind-slaves stay relatively smart... oh, yeah. Never mind. Try taking the Sennen Eye off of that clown with the mullet. Even YOU can do that!"  
  
Pegasus's/Anzu's point of view  
  
"Sir, there's an 'Anzu' here to see you."  
  
"Ooh, goody! More fun. Well? Bring her in Croquet! And bring me my Gorgonzola cheese and fruit juice while you're at it."  
  
"Right away, Sir." Croquet said as he left.  
  
"Ha ha! Your Sennen Item will be mine!" Anzu yelled as she jumped into the room. This was rather anti-climatic considering that she was still twenty feet away from Pegasus. She walked awkwardly to him, as if she were wearing several pounds of explosives. Or as if she had been killed and brought back to life three times. Your pick. Anyway...  
  
"You are Anzu I presume?" Pegasus asked pleasantly.  
  
"Yes! How did you know? Are you a magician?" Anzu was in complete awe.  
  
"Uh, no."  
  
"Aww... can't you be one? For me?" Anzu pleaded in what she thought was an attractive way. Which, as we all know, is absolutely disgusting. That would explain why Pegasus was now trying to gouge out his eyes with a fork. Ow.  
  
Anzu grabbed the Sennen Eye that had fallen to the floor and ran out the door. She got lost on the way to Marik's and ended up at the Bakura residence. She thought (A.N. yes, thought does echo randomly in her skull) 'Why not get the Sennen Ring while I'm at it?' And, thus, she went inside.  
  
Bakura's point of view  
  
Ding-dong!  
  
"Bakura-chan, will you get that? I'm kind of busy." Ryou called to his dark from the kitchen.  
  
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!  
  
"Bakura! Get the door!"  
  
Bakura heaved himself off of the couch grumbling to himself. "Huh. Making me get the door. Why doesn't he get the door? ....Lazy good-for-nothing... Yes, what do you want?" Bakura snapped irritably at the girl on the step.  
  
"What I want is your Sennen Item!"  
  
"...Are you unbalanced?"  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"I asked you first!"  
  
"Damn! ...Yes I am. Wait, no. Hang on, I'll have to think on that..." Bakura saw the Sennen Eye in Anzu's hand, and he got a deliciously clever plan to rid Anzu of it.  
  
"Say...Anzu, while you think, why don't you let me take care of that heavy burden in your hand."  
  
"This? Oh, no! Master Marik said I have to get all of the Sennen Items for him."  
  
"Really? Me too! How about I give that to Marik and tell him you had stolen it, while you look for the rest of the Items? Isn't that a great idea?"  
  
"Wow! It would save me a lot of time... thanks, Bakura!" And so in the face of Bakura's 'wit', Anzu gave Bakura the Sennen Eye and wandered off the sidewalk and was hit by an eighteen-wheeler. ...No one cared.  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
"...You couldn't even keep the one Item you had, by some freak accident, managed to get?! Get out of my sight! I never want to see you again!"  
  
"But, but... master, I..."  
  
"I SAID GET OUT!!!"  
  
"Can we at least be friends?"  
  
Anzu's/Seto's point of view  
  
"Now, that's just not fair! Everyone needs more friends. I know! Kaiba! If anyone needs more friends it's him, so I'll...I'll be friends with him instead! So I'm off to Seto's house! Yay!" Anzu took off, telling everyone she met that they could be her friends if they wanted to. So it's no surprise that everyone she met ran away in sheer terror.  
  
"Anzu! Hey, Anzu!" Yugi called to her from across the street. She ran over to him, two cars narrowly missing her (A.N. oh, well... there will be other times.). Yugi said, "Did you hear about Zora and Yami?"  
  
"...No, what happened?"  
  
"Well, Yami caught Zora and Bakura in her bedroom and now they're not together anymore! Not that they were together before," he added quickly.  
  
Anzu was delighted.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she faked, "And they were such a cute couple." (A.N. *pretending to strangle Anzu*)  
  
"Yeah, well, see you later, Anzu!" Yugi said a bit breathlessly as he ran away for some unknown reason.  
  
'Now I have Yami all to myself!'  
  
Anzu pressed the doorbell to the Kaiba mansion. Mokuba opened the door, looked horrified at what was there, and tried to slam the door. I say try because Anzu had put her foot in the way as soon as the door had opened. She had had much previous experience as a Girl Scout. (A.N. ANYone would slam their door if they saw HER standing outside waving cookies around!)  
  
"Oh, hi Anzu," Mokuba said, still trying to close the door.  
  
"Is Seto here? I want him to be my new best friend!"  
  
Mokuba stopped his vain efforts and said, amazed, "You're not here for me?" Anzu shook her head. "Oh, thank God!" Mokuba muttered to himself as he opened the door. Still muttering to himself, Mokuba led Anzu to where Seto was. "Ha! Now I'll pay him back for not buying me that Barbie! Huh, 'those are for girls' indeed!"  
  
Mokuba continued to talk darkly to himself and left Anzu to find her own way. Anzu seemed confused for a moment, then consoled herself with an, "Everyone needs a best friend! Seto needs a friend. Friends are good." She opened a door and found Seto typing away at his computer. He didn't even hear her come in. Anzu crept silently up to Seto's chair.  
  
"FRIENDSHIP!!" she shouted into his ear and Seto nearly jumped out of his skin.  
  
Seto had to think quickly on how he could get her away before she became attached, but it was too late. Anzu had already planted herself in the chair next to himself. "Go away Anzu. I'm busy," Seto snapped.  
  
"You're so funny Seto!" giggled Anzu, "I want to play a game!" Seto raised one eyebrow. He shuddered to think of what kind of 'games' this insane simpleton could possibly think of. "Let's play hide-and-seek! Okay, okay, you hide first!"  
  
Without waiting for an answer, Anzu ran to the far side of the room, covered her eyes and started to count to ten. "Uh, one...two... um, five... sixty... one million... uhh, ten! Ready or not, here I come!" Anzu sang.  
  
Seto decided to amuse the girl. He hid himself very obviously behind the coat rack. Unsurprisingly the incredibly stupid Anzu went by him no less than five times before Seto got bored and stepped out from behind the coat rack. "Seto! I found you!"  
  
He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Okay! Now I hide and you have to find me!"  
  
"...Yeah. I'll do that. Go and hide before I'm forced to use the tranquilizer gun."  
  
"Yay!" Anzu bounded to the other side of the room and dived beneath the desk. Seto went back to his work, now that Anzu would be happy for a while.  
  
It took Anzu an hour to realize that Seto wasn't playing. "Seto, I want to do something else!" Anzu whined as she went to stand in front of him.  
  
"Like what?" Seto growled as he tried to look past her to the computer screen.  
  
"Maybe we could go outside," Anzu said as she sat on his lap.  
  
"Get off me!" Seto cried and shoved her off. (A.N. ^_^) He stalked out of the room.  
  
"Humph! Well I'm gonna follow him," Anzu huffed to the computer as if it could hear her.  
  
Seto's point of view  
  
'...Wonder if Zora wants to take a walk with me...?' He went downstairs and picked up the phone. As he dialed he saw Mokuba give him a black look. "I'll get you that Barbie if you stop looking at me like that." Mokuba's venomous look disappeared and he ran upstairs. The phone rang twice before someone picked it up.  
  
"Hello, Turtle Game Shop and Motou residence. May I help you?" Zora said.  
  
"Uh... 'Oh, crap! What do I say?!' (A.N. *sigh* Typical guy...) Um, hey, Zora. It's Seto," he said rather quickly, blushing furiously.  
  
"Oh, hi Seto! Why'd ya call?"  
  
"...I, um, wanted to know if you wanted to--to go for a walk. With me. Cause it's such a nice day an' all..." he trailed off hopelessly, finally remembering that Zora was with Yami.  
  
"I'd love to go Seto." Seto reeled. He hadn't expected this.  
  
"Really? I mean, it wouldn't cause any...problems?"  
  
"Why would there be problems?"  
  
"I just thought... well let's just say I'm still recovering from the last time I talked with you." Seto said as he gingerly touched one of the bruises that Yami gave him.  
  
"Don't worry, Seto. Yami hates my guts now. What time?" Here her voice sounded farther away, as if she was looking at someone else as she talked.  
  
"I can come over now if you want..."  
  
"Sure! I'll be waiting." She hung up.  
  
"You owe me a Barbie!"  
  
Unknown to the Kaibas, Anzu had heard every word spoken. "Zora! Why is she always stealing my new best friends?! I'm going to ruin their little 'walk'!" With that, she dashed after Seto.  
  
SD: Whoo! It's really long again!! YEAH!  
  
Otogi: You need to calm down now, I think.  
  
SD: I think I don't want to, that I don't.  
  
Otogi: Oh gods! Please don't start talking like Kenshin now!!  
  
SD: Fine. I won't speak funny.  
  
Otogi: *insert sigh of relief*  
  
SD: --that I won't!  
  
Otogi: D'oh!  
  
SD: Tee hee hee! ^__^ If you liked my story(s) go read Serendipity's (I think that's how you spell it...) 'They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha Ha'. Much random and insane humor. But humor it has, that it does.  
  
Otogi: Now review or the clowns will eat you! ^^ 


	7. 7

SilverDragon: Hey. What's up? YAY!! School's almost out!!! WHOO-HOO! I MADE IT!!  
  
Otogi: I think SOMEone needs LESS sugar in the morning...  
  
SD: Hush, muse. I'm just overexcited.  
  
Otogi: *to himself* Obviously...  
  
SD: I was gonna say something... oh yeah! Wait. No. Nevermind.  
  
/ =hikari to yami  
  
// =yami to hikari  
  
'blah blah' =private thoughts  
  
Zora's point of view  
  
As Zora scrambled to find some decent clothing for this 'walk' with Seto she talked with her yami. Or rather, Siri pestered Zora. //Zora and Seto, sittin' in a tree!//  
  
/Don't you have something better to do?/  
  
//Nope. ...K-i-s-s-i-n-g!//  
  
/*sigh* At least help me find something to wear!/  
  
//For your date with Seeeto?//  
  
/It's not a date! How many times do I have to tell you?! ...What about this?/ Zora asked as she held up a tank top and a skirt.  
  
"Zora? Kid, are you still alive in there?" came Mai Kujaku's voice from the other side of the door.  
  
"Well that would've been a pretty stupid question if I wasn't." Zora replied as she stepped into the hallway for Mai's opinion.  
  
"Never thought that I'd say this, but never mind how you look. Come on," Mai said, propelling Zora down the stairs.  
  
"Hey! What's the hurry?" Zora asked as she was unceremoniously shoved through the little kitchen toward the living room.  
  
"Kid, Kaiba's been here for over five minutes."  
  
"What?! And why did no one even bother to tell me?!" Zora and Mai stepped through the doorway and they saw Yami and Seto standing on opposite sides of the room glaring daggers at each other, with Yugi running back and forth trying to soothe the inevitable fight.  
  
Joey, Tristan, Ryou, and Bakura were there too; Bakura had a devilish grin on. No doubt it was the anticipation of seeing Yami get his ass kicked. Yami was just about to cast some ancient Egyptian curse on Seto when the entrance of the girls broke his concentration. (a.n. Damn! ...I mean... Yay?)  
  
Zora lead Seto out the door, Yami's death glares going unheeded, and the two just walked aimlessly around town. Seto seemed uncharacteristically nervous. He opened his mouth to say something when a hand descended heavily on his and Zora's shoulders.  
  
His cry of warning was cut short by Bakura's gruff voice: "So. Where are we going?" Seto frowned and started to say something, but, again, was stopped short.  
  
"We are going somewhere romantic. You and Zora can go somewhere else. Like Burger King."  
  
Anzu Mazaki stepped out of the alley and attached herself to Seto's arm. Zora was slightly annoyed that her date was being stolen. Slightly, as in ready to kill Anzu. AGAIN. She still had no idea how she had managed to come back. Maybe it was an inherent ability in all-annoying creatures. "Don't you have some cactus to make out with?" she asked savagely.  
  
"For your information, Zachary and I broke up a week ago."  
  
"... I'm not going to dignify that with an answer." Anzu ignored her and proceeded to flirt with Seto.  
  
//Ugh, even I think that's disgusting! Let's leave them to their fate and go have some fun with Bakura.//  
  
/For once I agree with you!/ And thus Siri took over Zora's body and she and Bakura left Seto to pry Anzu off of his arm with a tree branch. It wasn't working anyway.  
  
And you all know what their idea of fun is... (A.N. not THAT!! I mean killing and robbing people! *to self* nasty, nasty people fill this world...oh well! Read on!)  
  
Siri's keen eyes swept over the crowded farmer's market, which had just set up their stalls. They came to rest on wares with no owner nearby. "Do you see what I see?" Bakura grinned.  
  
"Several dozens of unguarded eggs and a street full of people and cars?"  
  
"You, my fiendishly insane friend, are all too right!"  
  
Siri and Bakura quickly snuck up to the stand and grabbed several tomatoes and cartons of eggs each. "Hey! Hey you! Get away from here!" The burly shop-keep waved his broom threateningly after Siri and Bakura's retreating figures.  
  
The terrible twosome ran to the overpass and started to throw their stolen goods at the cars. After the tenth car had spun out they were getting bored. After all, a car won't chase you. Soggy people do. So Siri and Bakura used up the last of their produce throwing it at people in the street and running away, laughing madly as enraged random persons tried to beat them into a pulp.  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
*Grrr...* "That Bakura and Seto are really getting on my nerves!"  
  
Marik's only friend came up to him and asked, "You know Zora? ...Jealous...?"  
  
Marik's head snapped around at Kurt. (For Kurt is his name!) A rare smile graced his wonderfully tanned face. (A.N. *drooling*) "No. Not jealous. And I could hardly care less of that stupid girl."  
  
Kurt was puzzled. "Then why such antipathy? ...Ooh, heh heh, big word. Whee!" Kurt was the only person short of Malik that could be so casual with the Egyptian and have no worry of being killed or sent to the Shadow Realm. No one knows why.  
  
"Because of her yami's affections."  
  
Surprised, Kurt asked, "You know Siri, too??"  
  
"Of course I know her, dimwit," came Marik's reply, "she's my sister."  
  
Kurt was at a loss. "But, but Isis is your sister." Marik sighed. Kurt, needless to say, was not the brightest person.  
  
"No, that's my -hikari's- sister. This one is -mine-. From when we lived in Egypt." Kurt was still struggling with this information so Marik left him to find a suitable curse for Bakura and Seto.  
  
Kurt had gotten himself a glass of chocolate milk and somehow still managed to beat Marik to his room and was now fingering the pages of the spell book. "Gah! Kurt! Get away from there!" Marik rushed over to him to inspect the book for damage. Surprisingly, there was none, save a small smudge that could still be read. Kurt retreated, mumbling apologies. But Marik was in 'evil' mode and blocked him out.  
  
Marik flipped through the pages. 'Where is it, where is it? Ah! Here we go. "Regression. When a subject is forced to become a younger age, mentally or physically.'"' "Sounds positively delightful. ...How about we make it permanent!"  
  
He started the curse, but forgot that he needed a number to make them go back to. "Kurt!" Marik shouted over his shoulder. "Pick a number!" Kurt said his favorite number to the weird cloud/mist-thing that had formed over their heads. The spell wrapped around them then sped off in search of the cursed.  
  
Seto's point of view  
  
Seto was sitting in math class only partially listening to Mr. Teechaire (pronounced TEA-chair) mostly because he was thinking about how bad his 'walk' with Zora went. Damn that Anzu! By the time he had pried her off his arm with a crowbar and the blood started to flow into his numb arm, Zora and Bakura were gone.  
  
"...Right, Mr. Fields. Two hundred point six. Question five, the square root..."  
  
Seto must have fallen asleep to Mr. Teechaire's monotone, because he awoke to a strange whooshing noise. He jerked up, but nobody had noticed the sound. Suddenly it felt as if he was suffocating, and he gasped for air.  
  
Just as suddenly, he was fine. More than fine. He was great! But what was he doing in this boring old school? And why does milk come from cows and not chickens? He had tried to milk a chicken once without success. He had feathers stuck to him for days. But why was the sky blue? And why did he have no sugar?! And why did Yugi's hair stick up like that? And how did he, Seto, get to be a millionaire? And--- Oh, yes. He was fine. Except he was--- ("Give me a variable, class...") "SEVEN!!" (Because some people are stupid, please note, that was Seto *authoress drools* and he shouted Kurt's favorite number. I couldn't think of anything else...)  
  
Seto now possessed the intellect of a seven-year-old. So, of course, he ran out of the room to find something fun to do. "Wheeeeee!"  
  
Joey just shook his head in amazement: "Always knew he was insane."  
  
(SilverDragon: If you think that's bad (having six-foot-something Seto runnin' around like he's mentally disturbed) It's about to get worse. Bakura actually -became- seven. In a Crate and Barrel. That means a hyperactive, and evil, seven-year-old in a place of expensive pottery, glass, and furniture. ...I love being evil.  
  
Fade131: I'm forced to ask, -why- was Bakura in a Crate and Barrel? Why is Bakura even allowed out of the ring, let alone out of Ryou's sight? Just ignore me, readers...  
  
SD: Yeah, Fade. They'll do that...)  
  
Normal point of view  
  
"Aiee! Run!"  
  
"Get out of the way! Aaah!"  
  
CRASH!  
  
A terrified store clerk bypassed the equally as terrified customers and stood quaking before the 7-yr.-old, formally known as Bakura. "Y--you're gonna have to--to buy that, you know..." Bakura glared at him, paused, picked up a wineglass, and heaved it at the clerk.  
  
CRASH!  
  
No, he did not pause to consider if throwing it was wrong, he paused to contemplate on what would hurt the most. Nice kid, huh?  
  
WUMPH!  
  
CR-RUNCH!  
  
Bakura had skipped school and gone to the mall to steal stuff when Marik's curse got him. This was his fourth store raid, having wreaked the book store, terrorized the food court, demolished the clothes store, and looted almost all of the kiosks; so he moved on to house wares. His total debt comes close to that of buying a couple brand new Rolls Royces all at once. That, or almost the entire payment of a house. If Zora and Ryou hadn't come at that very moment, Bakura probably would've torn down the whole mall.  
  
Their school had gotten out early. Something about a senior running around the halls screaming at the top of his lungs about how to milk a chicken.  
  
Luckily the mall was only about a ten-minute walk from Yugi's house. Yeah, ten minutes with a murderous first-grader with the ability to send stuff to the Shadow Realm. Not what I would call a fun walk. Especially for the three cats and the trash barrel he Banished.  
  
SD: Yo.  
  
Otogi: 'Yo'??  
  
SD: Shut up. ...Everyone! Read! My! Immortal! Now! And in your reviews, tell her to write another chapter! She won't listen to me!  
  
Otogi: ...Pathetic. -__-  
  
SD: Ain't I? ^__~ 


	8. 8

SD: AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!  
  
Otogi: *looking around wildly* What?! What?!  
  
SD: Something's wrong with FF.net!!  
  
Otogi: ... ...Oh.  
  
SD: And I can't get to my reviews!!  
  
Otogi: ...  
  
SD: So I don't know when to update!!  
  
Otogi: You need reviews to update??  
  
SD: *sniff* Yes...  
  
Otogi: *to readers* You heard her. Review!!  
  
Disclaimer: It has recently come to my attention that I have not recently posted a disclaimer. Let me assure you that this in no way suggests that I own anything Yu-Gi-Oh! related or anything else copyrighted. I do, however own the plot and my own two characters, Zora and Siri, and I ask that those who steal plots and characters to ask first, I will not mind. Furthermore, I will no longer post disclaimers, but rest assured, I don't own anything or ever will.  
  
Normal point of view  
  
"Bakura, get in the Ring now!"  
  
"But I don't wanna!" Bakura yelled at Ryou as he took off.  
  
"Zora! Now!" Ryou said into the walkie-talkie they had found in Yugi's basement. Zora jumped out into the hallway and pinned Bakura down as Ryou hog-tied him with a blanket. Chibi Bakura did not like this. "No! Nononono! I'll BANISH you! I don't wanna take a nap! I don't wanna take a bath! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" Zora and Ryou forcefully dragged the seven-year-old into the living room to make him watch golf. Anyone in his or her right mind would snooze right through it. Of course, we all know that Bakura is -not- in his right mind, so this didn't work.*  
  
"What do we do now?" Zora asked exasperated. "I don't know! This was MY idea, remember?" Ryou said irritated.  
  
"Having fun, kiddies?" Siri appeared out of the Sennen Bracelet.  
  
"Just help us!"  
  
Siri reached down to Bakura. "OW! He BIT me!" Bakura grinned evilly. "Ooh, you're gonna PAY for that you little creep!" Siri tore the blanket from Bakura who ran out of sight, followed closely by Siri.  
  
"SIRI!" *sigh* 'Will she ever learn?' Just then a scream came from the kitchen. Fearing the worst, Zora and Ryou dash to see what had happened. They turned the corner to see Bakura menacing a mouse with a butcher's knife and Siri was on the table shaking like a leaf. (A.N. o.o") "Get it away, get it away!" Zora and Ryou burst out laughing. "IT'S NOT FUNNY!!" Siri exploded. Zora couldn't answer but Ryou managed to gasp out: "You?! And-and a-a Mouse?! Hahahahahaha!" Then...."MIND CRUSH!"**  
  
"Bakura!"  
  
"...Oopsies?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. C'mon, we need to figure out how to get you out of this regression-thingy." They all trooped into the living room to think on it when chibi Bakura piped up. "Zora? Does Kaiba like you know that you went on a date?"  
  
"...Oh my god! We forgot Seto!" (A.N. I'm assuming that they know about Seto's regression too.)  
  
~*~*~*  
  
"Class, we have a new student. His name is Seto Kaiba." The first grade class just stared at the tall seventeen-year-old, who was shuffling his feet nervously. You could've heard a pin drop.  
  
"Oh! Isn't that cute? They like you!" The teacher shoved Seto to a chair. "It's snack time kids!" The children got their snacks and clustered around the newcomer. Seto was hungry too, but he forgot his snack (A.N. ever notice how little kids are always ravenous??) so he turned to a kid with a sandwich and held out a duel monsters card.  
  
"I'll trade you that sandwich for my Blue Eyes." The kid looked at the card and his eyes nearly doubled. "...Yeah. Sure, take it." Seto took the food and was just about to hand over his card when Ryou's hand pulled him up off the floor.  
  
"Aww! I was gonna trade!"  
  
"No. Come home Seto, you need your nap."  
  
"Aww, man! Here you go..." Seto gave the sandwich back to the boy who looked like he was going to cry, and left with Ryou and Zora. ***  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Seto and Bakura were sleeping peacefully on the couch while Zora, her yami, and Ryou counted their wounds, so to speak. The front door opened and Yugi bounded in.  
  
"Hi guys! What's up!"  
  
"Don't slam the--"  
  
BAM!!  
  
"...Door."  
  
"...WE WANT COOKIES!!" Siri looked utterly dismayed. "Oh Ra, not again!"  
  
!*!*!*!*  
  
Zora's point of view  
  
"Hey! That was mine!"  
  
"You snooze you lose!"  
  
"But you took it out of my hand!"  
  
"Yoink!"  
  
"Give it back! We were fighting over it."  
  
"Yeah. You have to wait."  
  
"Aww."  
  
Zora smiled at the sight of almost everyone fighting over the 'meal'. Bakura had stolen the piece of pizza Joey was going for and Siri took it from Bakura. Yugi looked sorely tempted to join in. Yami,...not so much.  
  
Yami saw her smile and gave her a funny look; she gave him one of her own impossible-to-read-do-I-want-to-snub-you-or-not?-looks in return. He seemed taken back and quickly returned to his pizza.  
  
*Sigh...* As much as Zora acted cool and indifferent on the outside, inside she ached. Seto was really nice (and rich to boot!) but Yami had some indefinable magnet-like quality that had captured her and wouldn't let her go. To have someone so close to you but still be out of reach is maddening. A little voice quipped in her head. Zora suddenly lost her appetite. She hastily excused herself and went to her room to think.  
  
She climbed onto her bed and hugged her knees. Outside the evening birds chirped their merry tunes to each other. The fading light slanted through her window, dust motes dancing in intricate swirls. It was just like her bedroom back home. She felt tears pricking the corners of her eyes. I  
  
Yugi's point of view  
  
Yugi had seen the exchange of looks between Zora and Yami, but had wisely kept his mouth shut.  
  
He had never seen Yami so happy and hyper when he and Zora had been together, but now Yami had been spending more and more time just sitting there. "Thinking," was what he always said when Yugi had asked him what he was doing.  
  
Seven-year-old-Bakura was attempting to do the impossible: out-eat Joey. Even Yami was cheering the two contestants on. Yugi accurately judged that no one would miss him for a few minutes right now, so he went to talk to Zora.  
  
He opened the door to see Zora on her bed with her arms wrapped around her knees, looking out the window. A single tear slowly rolled down her cheek.  
  
Yugi climbed up next to Zora who quickly wiped away the offending tear. "Zora," he said quietly. "Oh, hi Yugi." He merely looked at her. "What?" He wasn't put off by the gruff question. He scooted closer, sat in her lap, and pulled her into a hug. (A.N. Kawaii!!!)  
  
Through his mysterious chibi-cuteness powers, Yugi had her crying and babbling out her story at the same time. How she got sucked into this world and how she doesn't know how to go back, not that she wants to, and how nice Yami is and how angry he got at her when Siri kissed Bakura and didn't let her explain and how Seto is nice, too, but not her type and now she doesn't know what to do!  
  
Zora took a deep breath.  
  
And is everything like this? And does Yami hate her now? And how is she going to tell Seto that she doesn't want to see him anymore? And since when did he, Yugi, get so good at telling when someone needed a hug??  
  
Yugi just smiled, gave her hand one more reassuring squeeze, and left.  
  
Zora's point of view  
  
She shut the blinds and fell asleep with the sounds of happy laughter floating up the stairs.  
  
Marik's point of view  
  
"HAH!" Kurt jumped at Marik's outburst, but quickly settled down to munch on some chocolate. Marik almost winced at the thought of what more chocolate could do to his precious book, but it was the only way to keep Kurt quiet.  
  
"Wait. I've been going about this the wrong way, haven't I?"  
  
"Yep!" Marik jerked at Kurt's happy reply, because he had been more or less talking to himself. "What do you mean, 'Yep'?"  
  
"Yes. Correct. Right. Absolu-"  
  
"I mean why?" Marik snapped irritably. Kurt blinked. "What?" A vein throbbed unpleasantly at Marik's temple. (A.N. Now any *normal* person would be at least ten feet away, if not in a whole other room. Unfortunately, Kurt isn't that smart, nor is he what most people would call 'normal'...)"WHY DID YOU SAY 'YEP'?!?!?!" Marik exploded.  
  
Kurt was unfazed. "I was merely agreeing with you, sir!" he said huffily, and skipped away. "Now! On to more important things! How do I break up that little group?" He sat down and stared at the little mirror nailed to the wall, as if expecting the answer to reveal itself to him. He fell asleep.  
  
*In Marik's dream* (A.N. OOC ALERT!! Just letting you know...)  
  
Marik walked past dying trees and bushes. The worn path he walked on was leading to a dilapidated kind of farmhouse. A shutter creaked and fell to the ground, and the scarecrow in the field twisted slowly to watch him approach through red glowing eyes, its hay filled arms moving feebly with the slight wind.  
  
"Okay, this is getting kind of creepy. I think I'm going to go now..."  
  
Marik turned to start walking away from the farm, but he found his progress blocked by many people. All were dressed like farm poeple and carried various equipment; pitchforks, rakes, sickles, etc.. They were shrouded in darkness, but by the light of one flickering torch, Marik saw that all of them were scowling at him. They had no eyes.  
  
He slowly backed away from the grotesque villagers, never taking his eyes off of them. A hand gripped his shoulder. He gasped and whirled to see the scarecrow loom up in front of him, holding something. The thing held looked horribly like a human arm. The end of it dripped a crimson liquid that stained the ground.  
  
"This is what happened last time, when Man refused the Master..." the scarecrow grated, holding the human arm in front of Marik's face. The villagers came up the road forming a loose semi-circle around Marik, the open end facing the farmhouse. Marik decided it best not to provoke the spectral people, they may not have eyes, but they seemed to know where they were going.  
  
So they herded Marik into the house part of the structure. The scarecrow limped away to do something, and the villagers, their job done, went outside.  
  
Marik looked around the house. It was old and worn, with dust and cobwebs everywhere. A large mirror on the wall was cracked so badly that nothing but vague shapes could be discerned when one looked into it. Tiny spiders scuttled up and down the stairs, avoiding the small pools of light the few candles cast feebly on the stairwell and room. A loud crash from the kitchen area announced that he wasn't alone.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
SD: Dun dun DUNN!!  
  
Otogi: You have a twisted mind, Silver-chan...  
  
SD: Yes. Yes I do. I have an assignment for you all! Go read 'My Immortal' and 'Fallen Angel' both by Fade131. Both are yaoi with Ryou/Bakura as the main characters.  
  
Otogi: They're both really good, so go read them!  
  
SD: And if you said you left a nice review for Fade, I give you a Bakura and Ryou plushie! (But if you lie then I'll take extra long to update! Mwahahahahahaa!) Yeah, yeah. Short chapter, I know. My friend has threatened me with physical violence if I don't make longer chapters, so you don't need to tell me too.  
  
Otogi: Well this chapter was completely pointless and had nothing to do with the plot.  
  
SD: There's a PLOT!?!? And WHY did no one tell ME?!?!?!  
  
Otogi: -____-() Just write another chapter, Silver-kun... 


	9. 9

SilverDragon: Hey, welcome back! It's chapter whatever and we're still in Marik's dream-thingy.  
  
Otogi: Silver-chan, that's not even a word.  
  
SD: And?  
  
Otogi: ...  
  
SD: I don't own anything so don't ask me.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Marik p.o.v. (point of view)  
  
A loud crash from the kitchen area announced he wasn't alone.  
  
Marik whirled to face the person, heart pounding uncomfortably. A shadow was barely visible through the gloom. Black on black. It swayed slightly and took a step forward, its arms outstretched as if to embrace him, the fingers spread widely. Marik instinctively stepped back and loosed the dagger hidden in the Sennen Rod.  
  
"Don't you dare come any closer!"  
  
The shrouded figure paused, then suddenly it dashed forward, grabbing Marik by the shoulder and slamming him into the opposite wall.  
  
The small, wavery pool of light the candle cast shone on his attacker's face. Purple-blue hair framed a face livid with anger. Violet eyes mocked his weakness and a small triangle-shaped lime-green tattoo stood out vividly beneath her left eye.  
  
"Siri?" Marik breathed. "I thought you were dead!" Siri smiled nastily. "Not as dead as you're going to be, little brother..." In a surge of rage and fear Marik swung up the golden dagger and plunged it into Siri's forearm. ...Or it would've plunged in if it had gotten past her skin.  
  
Which it didn't.  
  
Marik frantically tried to stab Siri again, but it was like trying to punch a hole in steel with your bare hands. Siri caught the blade and contemptuously snapped it with her free hand. (A.N. Hey, it's a dream! She can have super-human powers if I want her to!)  
  
"You left me for dead!" Siri bellowed into Marik's face. Marik only spluttered in reply so Siri continued. "-You- made the tomb collapse. -You- wanted me out of the way so you could have the pharaoh's power all to yourself. ...I had -hours- to brood on that... and I notice that you still don't have the pharaoh's power?" Marik swallowed and winced, as Siri's fingers on his shoulder tightened like a vice. He could practically hear the bones groaning under the pressure.  
  
He managed to glare back and say, "Serves you right for getting in my way. If you could've--ARGH!" Exactly what Siri could've done was stopped by Marik's cry of pain as she slammed him into the wall (again.) so hard that one of the little pictures fell with a crash on the floor and shattered.  
  
Marik felt a tickling sensation on the back of his head. He swatted at it with his free hand and his fingers came back coated crimson with blood. (A.N. ...Owie?)  
  
Siri's hand rose, balled into a fist, ready to beat the life out of him when a slim hand placed itself on hers. Siri eyed this new person and lowered her fist reluctantly. Something gold glinted off her wrist, and Marik stared too. The person was a teenage girl, similar to Siri. But she had bluer hair and no tattoo. Her face was slim and youthful, and while she couldn't be considered a knockout, she was fairly pretty. She also lacked Siri's penetrating glare.  
  
Zora.  
  
She merely looked at Siri in a way Marik couldn't describe. It was pleading and sad and reproachful and a bit angry all rolled into one. Siri just stared back in a way that plainly described how much she wanted to cover the floor with her brother's blood. Marik knew that his life hung in the balance, and for once he wisely kept his mouth shut.  
  
Siri wavered, uncertain, then gave in to Zora and let Marik go, with aparantly great reluctance. Zora looked at Marik and the corners of her mouth twitched, as if she were trying not to smile. Marik glared. (a.n. Wow. Marik is. Really. Really. Slow.) He was about to do his little I'm-such-an-evil-genius dance (A.N. Otogi: Yes, folks, he actually has a dance like that. I've seen it!) but both Zora and Siri were staring at him like he'd grown an extra head.  
  
"What?" he demanded. Zora's face turned from amazement to fear and Siri's turned to repulsion. Marik slowly turned.  
  
There. On the wall. Was a spider that had legs as long as Marik's, a bloated body that quivered with excitement, and two three-inch-long fangs dripped saliva and poison to the floor. But before Marik could blink, it launched itself at him and attached to his face.  
  
"Aaaarrgghh!" A high-pitched scream issued from Marik's mouth, (A.N. I other words, 'girly scream') which was slightly muffled by the spider.  
  
"Oh, no!" Siri said. "No one's gonna kill him but me!" She advanced on the spider (Marik's face) as it hissed and clicked menacingly. A gleaming sword suddenly appeared in Siri's hand out of thin air with a noise exactly like Darth Vader's light-saber. She swung it in a glittering arc towards Marik's head, aiming for the spider...when it jumped off.  
  
"Aaaarrgghh!" Now that he could see, Marik was now more afraid of his not- so-dead sibling than the poisonous arachnid that had wanted to chomp on his head for a while.  
  
A million light danced and glittered on the blade as it sailed towards his face in what seemed like slow motion. Closer and closer and closer it came, until...until...he woke up. (A.N. Ha! Bet you forgot it was a dream!)  
  
Marik sat up, dizzy, and after making sure he was still alive, began to prepare his fiendish plan to capture the Pharaoh's power!  
  
*!*!*Zora's bedroom*!*!*  
  
Zora jolted awake, every nerve protesting the sudden motion. She had had the strangest dream; she and Siri and Marik were on a farm...it got blurry after that, but she remembered something about a sword, a spider and Siri saying something abut her brother... Zora mentally prodded her yami awake.  
  
//What?// Siri snapped, obviously NOT a morning person.  
  
/.../  
  
//Spit it out or I'm going back to sleep!//  
  
Zora took a calming breath. She didn't know why she was so worked up over this dream, but it had felt so real, and now she was getting a bad feeling down in the pit of her stomach. /...Do you have a brother?/ she blurted.  
  
Suspicion was evident in Siri's reply. //What makes you ask?//  
  
/A dream.../  
  
//You too?// Siri sounded shaken, but Zora was not in the mood for mind- games right now. /Answer the question, yami!/  
  
Siri mentally sighed. //Yes, I do. I'm sorry, hikari, I wasn't completely honest with you. ...But if you really want to know...//  
  
~*~*~*  
  
SD: Heheheh! I made it a cliffie! I'm so evil!  
  
Otogi: That's not a cliffie and you're not evil.  
  
SD: I'm not?! Oh, poop. You people had better review! And when you do, if you could comment on how deliciously evil I am, I shall give you Yami and Seto plushies with magnetic lips hips and hands! *goes into Yaoi-world, a.k.a. 'SD's La-La-Land'* *drools until there's a big puddle on the floor*  
  
Otogi: Hentai?! Shame on you SilverDragon! *thwaps her*  
  
SD: *snapping out of Yaoi-world* Eh? What? Oh, yeah. RREEEEEVVIIIIIIEEEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!!!! ...Please? 


	10. 10

SD: Hey there. Here's an extra long chapter for you! I'm so proud of my self! *wipes imaginary tear away*  
  
Otogi: ...That's it?  
  
SD: What do you mean?  
  
Otogi: You have been dragging this story for so long it's not worthy to be called a story anymore!  
  
SD: What's that supposed to mean?!  
  
Otogi: *sigh* It means this story sucks, and it's turning into a soap opera.  
  
SD: Really?  
  
Otogi: There are a few major keys to a truly horrible (a.k.a. 'good') soap opera. One: The plot must be virtually non-existant.  
  
SD: ^_^ Check!  
  
Otogi: Two: The major character (if female) must be every boys' dream and vise versa.  
  
SD: Check.  
  
Otogi: Three: Lots of drama encircling the major character over minor and/or miniscule things.  
  
SD: -_- Check.  
  
Otogi: Four: The major antagonist (bad guy) stays unknown to the major protagonists (good guys) until the last possible moment.  
  
SD: Check...  
  
Otogi: Five: At least one person must come back from the dead at least twice. Whether truly dead or just pretending doesn't matter.  
  
SD: Check. (remember Anzu?)  
  
Otogi: And lastly, one of the major protagonists must have some strange, obscure family tie neither knew about until told by a friend or family member.  
  
SD: Uh... (you can't really count Siri and Marik...)  
  
Otogi: Well at least it's not a -real- soap opera.  
  
SD: Actually...  
  
Otogi: No. No no no. You did not.  
  
SD: Heh heh... ^_^() Yep. And I have no idea how.  
  
Reviewers: How what??  
  
SD: ^_^() You'll see... And just so you know, this symbol thingy... Just signals a time lapse.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
"So then she told me she's Marik's sister!"  
  
"Woah."  
  
"Yeah. Scary isn't it?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
"I'm glad Seto and Bakura are normal again*. But I don't think Seto will ever be the same again."  
  
"I'm just happy Bakura's not eating Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs** for breakfast anymore. Do you realize it was taken off the market a little while ago for having -too- much sugar?"  
  
"They have a law for that?"  
  
"Miss Zora Bakura! Would you kindly look to the -front-?!"  
  
'Oh, crap!' was Zora's only thought before Siri squeezed in a //BUSTED!! HA- HA!//  
  
Zora was currently in class, talking with Ryou about her weird dream and Siri's relations. Approximately two minutes later a note from Ryou thwacked the back of her head.  
  
Rubbing the sore spot, she read it. Basically it accused her of lying and being a terrible friend. Hastily she scribbled a reply that told him to meet her by the water fountain after class. She folded it up and tossed it back to Ryou. Unfortunately, the teacher saw and gave her a detention for passing notes in class, he gave her two more after 'she' (a.k.a. Siri) chucked a pen that hit him between the eyes, making the class roar with laughter. (In case you're confuzled, an explanation of sorts is coming up)  
  
"Look, I didn't find out until a couple of day ago, okay? It's not -my- fault!"  
  
"You could've told me!"  
  
"Oh, yeah. There's a nice conversation: 'Hey, Ryou, guess what? I'm related to you and I didn't even know it!' "  
  
Ryou grumbled to himself and leaned against the wall glaring at Zora, looking remarkably like his yami. "How are we related?"  
  
When Zora failed to answer he looked her in the eye and said loudly, "How are we bloody*** related?!"  
  
-Very- unlike Ryou.  
  
Zora took a steadying breath and said quietly, "Half-sister. I think." (This. I truly have no idea how that happened. She's like, from another universe or something. ...Hey, don't blame me! I was in math class when I wrote it! Why would I need to know how to graph a square root?! I was bored. Give me a break.)  
  
Silence.  
  
Ryou suddenly spun around and ran towards the door. "Where are you going?! It's the last day of school and we're having a party!" But Zora's shouts went unheeded as Ryou only sped up and ran out of sight.  
  
//I think you made things worse.//  
  
/Shut up Siri. I didn't hear -you- offering to help./  
  
(OOC alert! Weeeooooo! Weeeooooo! Huh. Probably should've put that before...oh well. And Bakura has a nasty potty mouth coming up. But that's it. I think.)  
  
//Ryou?//  
  
/What?/  
  
//Don't do anything stupid.//  
  
/Says the tomb robber./  
  
//...Shut up.//  
  
/Go away./ Ryou cut off the mind link.  
  
He hopped on the bus and a quarter of an hour he was home. After running up the stairs, he scanned his room. Taking off his backpack he dumped its contents onto the bed and shoved a set of clothes, hat and sunscreen into it. Then he opened the shoebox full of money he kept under his bed and put the bills and coins in his pocket.  
  
Jumping down the stairs two at a time, he dashed into the kitchen where he stuffed as many non-perishable foods as he could into his backpack. Running back outside, Ryou threw his bag into his extremely rusted and beat-up Ford, got in, and took off.  
  
Driving fifteen miles an hour above the speed limit, Ryou spied what he was looking for. Screeching to a halt, he hastily double-parked and went into the store, emerging a moment later with a canvas duffel bag. Placing this beside his backpack, Ryou again drove off.  
  
Again he stopped, this time outside a small pet shop. Seizing the duffel bag, Ryou sauntered inside. Seeing the store clerk preoccupied with another customer, Ryou edged his way to the python tank. Stealthily he slipped the big snake into the bag and sprinted to his car, which he had left running. Speeding away from the red-faced clerk, Ryou drove to the airport.  
  
"Flight 709 for Cairo is now boarding, Flight 709 is now boarding." A nasally voice intoned, sounding rather bored.  
  
The airport was so filled with screaming kids, rushing women, and pushy men that it was a miracle that Ryou was able to get to the front desk.  
  
Ryou shoved some money on the desk in front of the clerk. "One for Flight 709," he said to her. She looked down her nose at him and said loftily, "Flight 709 is now -boarding-, not selling tickets. We're all full."  
  
Ryou's eye twitched.  
  
The Sennen Ring glowed with an almost blinding white light for a second and the woman now faced a teenager the looked almost exactly like the one before, but this one had wilder, spikier hair, a nasty sneer on his lips, and a dangerous glint in his eyes.  
  
Faster than the naked eye could track, Bakura's hand shot out and grabbed the woman by the collar. "Listen, you simpering, disgusting, fucking pathetic excuse for a human," Bakura hissed in her face. "You are going to give me a ticket, you are going to let me on that plane, and then you are going to fuck off!" He released her shirt and smirked. The clerk was shaking so badly that she almost missed the 'silent alarm' button under the desk. Almost.  
  
Within five minutes of getting on his plane with his snake-in-a-bag, (which hadn't been checked at customs) two burly security guards seized Ryou by the arms and 'escorted' him off the airplane.  
  
"I'm telling you, I didn't do it!" he pleaded with them. The two only grunted in reply.  
  
/Bakura! Help me! You're the one who got us into this mess; you can get us out./  
  
//Fine. Fine. Let me take over.// Bakura grumbled.  
  
The guards released Ryou as they suddenly felt him change beneath their fingers.  
  
Bakura stood in his 'evil pose' for a moment for effect, (you know, feet set wide apart, arms cocked by his sides, fingers spread wide, and face tilted a bit downward so that as he stares the whites of his eyes show) then stood straight up. His eyes glinted and a cruel smile spread across his face as he slowly and deliberately took out his dueling deck.  
  
/Bakura, you scare me sometimes. More than usual, I mean./  
  
//'Tis my job, little hikari, 'tis my job.// He materialized next to Ryou.  
  
"Did you -have- to send both of them to the Shadow Realm?"  
  
"Do birds -have- to fly? Yes!"  
  
"Well, actually, penguins and ostriches don't-" Bakura clapped a hand over Ryou's mouth. "You -do- want to spend the rest of this trip conscious, don't you?" Ryou nodded his head vigorously.  
  
"Well then don't contradict me!"  
  
Bakura leaned against the small sink. (Yes, the sink. After Bakura had 'dispatched' the two guards, Ryou had had to hide in the airplane's tiny bathroom or the flight attendant would've killed him.) He grimaced with distaste and went back into the Ring.  
  
Ryou settled down for a long, boring, uneventful ride.  
  
Several long, boring, uneventful hours later we find Ryou repeatedly slamming his head into the wall.  
  
Slam!  
  
"Ow."  
  
Slam!  
  
"Ow."  
  
Slam!  
  
"Ow."  
  
The bright Egyptian sun pounded into Ryou's sensitive eyes. Walking with his backpack and duffel bag, Ryou slathered sunscreen onto every bit of exposed skin. (Thankfully jeans he is wearing.) Suddenly he bumped into someone. "Oh, gomen, gomen." Ryou mumbled, looking up at the man. What he saw made him freeze.  
  
"Ryou! What are you doing here?!"  
  
The boy in question gaped up at the man that stood above him. Chocolate brown eyes peered out from a well-tanned face, he wore dusty, faded, canvas- like shorts and T-shirt with a hat of the same material.  
  
"Dad?" Ryou whispered hoarsely. Then he smiled. Not a happy smile. Not even his usual I'm-so-shy-I'll-just-smile-and-not-talk smile. No, this was an evil I-know-something-you-don't-so-haha! Smile most likely seen on any opponent dueling Yugi. So mostly Bakura or Marik/Malik. Scary.  
  
"Ryou? Are you okay?" Ryou's father asked, looking concerned. "Oh, yes, -Dad-, I'm quite fine. Never better, actually. But I think its about time for a little father-son chat, don't you?" It was more of a command than a question, if you know what I mean.  
  
Ryou's father eyed his son warily, "What do you mean...?" he asked slowly. Ryou reached into the duffel bag as he spoke, "About this sister of mine I met a little while ago...did you know I had a sister, Dad?"  
  
Now red in the face, Ryou's father answered, "Well of course...I...did... ...Ryou, did you take that snake on the plane??"  
  
Ryou smirked, looking much like Bakura, and said, "Oh, but Dad, he isn't just -any- snake. He's my new pet!" Ryou had taken the snake out of the bag and now it was thrashing and hissing like mad, trying to bite anything. ...I don't think it liked the plane ride much...  
  
Ryou (or Bakura, it's hard to tell them apart at the moment...) draped the enraged serpent around his father's neck and shoulders, where it immediately started to squeeze his neck. "Aww...look Dad, he likes you! See, he's giving you a hug."  
  
Still smiling, Ryou left his father with the stolen python wrapped firmly around his trachea, and went back to the airport to get a plane back to Domino.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
* I was just too lazy to make another chapter with them back to normal. Actually, I had skipped it by accident, then I made it, but then it sucked so I deleted it. Yep, I suck, I know already.  
  
** I don't own Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs, it belongs to Bill Watterson who writes Calvin and Hobbes comic strips. Just thought you'd like to know.  
  
*** This is the British word for f*cking. They don't like to use American swears 'cause they're buttfaces.  
  
~~~  
  
Otogi: Ooookay.  
  
Ryou: Why am I a psychopath?  
  
SD: Because you've spent you're entire life thinking that your only family member was in Egypt and you're mad because he never told you that you had a sister.  
  
Zora: Half-sister.  
  
SD: Whatever.  
  
Zora: You wrote it, you should know.  
  
SD: Look, I really don't care at this point! Okay!?  
  
Otogi: *pats SD on the back* Don't worry, it'll be over soon... 


	11. 11

Silver: *jumps dramatically into view* TA-DAA!  
  
*crickets chirp* *a random reader coughs, no one else makes a sound*  
  
Silver: ...Well fine then! *stomps off*  
  
Otogi: Sorry, she's grumpy today.  
  
Silver: *shouting from a distance* Shut up, Smarty-muse!  
  
Otogi: -_- Anyway, I'm just here to tell you that this is probably the second or third to last chapter, so get ready for the utterly stupid finale.  
  
Silver: *still shouting from a distance* Shut up, I said! I was tired when I wrote this!  
  
Otogi: Yeah, sure, whatever...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
*2:00, Zora's math class, last period. The last day of school.*  
  
//Zora, your math teacher has to be THE most boring person in the world. //  
  
/Who? Mr. Walker? /  
  
//No. The pink flamingos that usually teach your math class. ...Do you see what's he's doing?! He is actually attempting to make us learn on the last day of school! And it's last period for crying out loud! //  
  
/"Us"? Siri, you spend all of my classes asleep. /  
  
//That's beside the point. //  
  
/Fine then, let's jazz this class up a bit... /  
  
Zora broke her eraser in two and threw them in quick succession at the back of Mr. Walker's balding head.  
  
"Ah! Wha-? Who did that?!"  
  
The entire class tittered and giggled, each trying vainly to stifle his or her laughter. For the rest of the class poor Mr. Walker was pelted with various small objects, the most notable and gross of which was a soggy Band- Aid, compliments of Siri.  
  
When the final bell sounded, kids of all ages rushed in a mad melee out the double doors and into the freedom of summer vacation!  
  
Zora fought the tide of bodies to Yugi's locker, where the short teen was cleaning out his bag. She grabbed his hands and swung him around in a little dance, "It's over, we're free! It's over, we're free!" became her new happy chant as she marched a confused Yugi out of the prison known to all students as 'school'.  
  
"Hey, Zora?" A familiar voice said. The girl in question stopped short and looked around in confusion. She finally spotted the owner of the voice standing near a tall and rather ugly bush. It was a tall, slim, blonde, beautifully tanned boy by the name of Malik. (a.n. Sorry to interrupt, but just so you know, they're friends with Malik, not Marik. Remember chapter 8? At the party?)  
  
"Oh! Hey Malik." Zora said, mentally drooling as she walked toward the finely chiseled teenager.  
  
"Would you mind if...if we talk? Alone?" Malik began awkwardly, glancing at Yugi pointedly. Zora cringed inwardly; she had completely forgot Yugi was there.  
  
"Do you mind terribly?" she pleaded.  
  
"Not at all. See ya!"  
  
"I'll meet you at the Game Shop!"  
  
Zora turned back to Malik, who seemed unnaturally nervous. "Well?" She prompted him. He glanced around quickly, as if searching for eavesdroppers.  
  
Finding none, he looked at Zora and stated quickly, "I-I know how you got here."  
  
Words seemed to abandon Zora, as the only thing she managed to choke out was an unintelligible "Wha-?"  
  
But Malik didn't let her finish. He took a breath. "And I know how to get you back."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
SD: Sorry this is so short, I wrote it in a study at school.  
  
Marik: *randomly appears* How can Malik know how she got there and how to get her back?! I don't even know that!  
  
SD: *sticks out her tongue* You'll just have to wait and see. You might also want to keep in mind that he might be lying...  
  
Otogi: *thwaps Silver* No giving away important plot points!  
  
SD: *rubbing her head* It's not a plot point!  
  
Otogi: ...I don't care! Don't tell them yet, let them figure it out!  
  
SD: Humph! You ruin all my fun.  
  
Yugi: *also randomly appearing* Reevieeeeeeewwwww! ^^ 


	12. 12

SilverDragon: Smeh. Just read.  
  
Disclaimer: You should know this by now. So go away.  
  
Zora reeled. This news was totally unexpected.  
  
"You...but—but..." She started, "How?" she finished weakly.  
  
"Come on," Malik said, pulling on her arm, "I can explain on the way to my house. If you would be so kind as to move your feet." He added.  
  
They walked in silence, away from the school, away from the Game Shop, and away from the part of Zora's life that finally made sense. Of course, she wasn't even born in this dimension, so who is she to talk?  
  
"I believe you wanted to ask me some things?" Malik prompted, glancing at the girl walking next to him. Zora flushed slightly.  
  
"How did you know I wasn't, uh, from around here?"  
  
Malik smiled slightly. "You've got a funny accent."  
  
"Gee, thanks."  
  
"No problem," he said, ignoring her sarcasm, "That and you came into our school in the last three weeks and you had no idea what to do with your free time; that's strange considering that everyone around here is obsessed with Duel Monsters. I know that doesn't sound like much, but..." He shrugged. "That was actually the easy part." He paused just long enough for Zora to feel like she should say something; so naturally, she did.  
  
"...Then what was the hard part?"  
  
"Figuring out where you came from."  
  
Zora didn't say anything.  
  
"I was totally stumped. I asked around, but nobody seemed to know. You just showed up one day and everyone excepted you like you were an old friend." Here Zora shifted uncomfortably. Malik was making it sound like he was blaming her for something. He continued, apparently oblivious about her discomfiture. "It was actually kind of creepy. This random fifteen year old girl shows up, no I.D., no family, no one making a fuss about it... I'm not blaming for it, mind you. I know it's not your fault."  
  
'What's not my fault?' Zora thought to herself. 'And why is he so friendly all of a sudden? Why is he telling me these things?'  
  
Ignorant to Zora's inner turmoil, Malik continued, "But then these really strange things started to happen, although if one lives with ancient Egyptian spirits, things tend to pale in comparison. Everyone having sudden memory loss at Kaiba's party, Anzu missing, Anzu then re-appearing and trying to steal the Items, then my yami was acting all funny...said something about an eighth Item. ...We're here."  
  
And indeed they were. Malik's house was a two-story deal with gray-blue paint, peeling slightly. The windows were darkened, but they didn't seem foreboding, just quietly lonely. Malik unlocked the door and gestured Zora inside.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Yami was staring out the window when Yugi came home. He smiled at his lighter half. "Hello aibou. How are you doing?"  
  
Yugi grinned back. "Fine, thanks, Yami."  
  
Yami followed Yugi into the kitchen where the height-challenged teen was grabbing a glass to put some soda in. Yami took the soda from the fridge and poured both Yugi and himself a glass of the bubbly liquid. "Yugi, do you know where Zora is?" The spirit asked as casually as he could.  
  
Yugi paused, his glass halfway to his mouth. "Yes. She was talking to Malik. Why?"  
  
Yami shrugged and downed his soda. He rinsed out his glass and stuck it in the dishwasher. He straightened and suddenly his eyes unfocused and he shivered violently, a small noise of surprise escaping him and attracting Yugi's attention. Yugi dropped his glass with a sharp clatter and ran to his partner's side. "Yami! Are you okay? What happened?"  
  
Yami waved him away and sat down on the kitchen chair. Yugi stood next to him and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Tell me what happened, Yami." He demanded gently.  
  
Yami looked up at him, his expression unreadable. "It was nothing, little one. Just... I—nothing."  
  
"Yami. Don't lie to me. I know when something is nothing and that was definitely not nothing."  
  
"You're not gong to leave me alone, are you?" Yami asked dryly with half a smile.  
  
"Nope," Yugi replied with the other half.  
  
The taller teen sighed. "Fine. I can't really explain it, but it was like a vision. Don't look at me like that, you wanted to know. I was in this dark room and there were people. A girl and a guy, I think. He was calling me 'Pharaoh' and he did something to the girl. She fell over...there was blood... and then I snapped out of it." Yami stared at the table, not wanting to see what Yugi's reaction would be.  
  
"I don't think you're insane Yami. But could you describe the man or the girl? Or the room?"  
  
Yami shook his head. "No, it was too dark. But...the guy had violet eyes... and I do remember a bracelet."  
  
"...A bracelet."  
  
Yami screwed up his eyes, trying to remember. "Yeah. On the girl. It was gold, I think."  
  
A chill crept up Yugi's spine as the bottom of his stomach dropped. He walked back to the living room. He was just putting on his shoes when Yami went in. "I've distressed you. I'm sorry," he said.  
  
"No, it's not you," Yugi replied, shaking his head. "It's just that Zora's been gone a long time, she might've gotten lost. I going to go look for her."  
  
Yami nodded. He put on his shoes, too. "I think I'll come with you. I haven't been out all day and it's so nice out."  
  
They closed the door and walked down the street towards the school, where Yugi had seen Zora last.  
  
Yugi stopped and looked around. The area was totally deserted, as was to be expected of a school on summer break. He shook his head and led the way towards Malik's house, Yami following slowly behind.  
  
~*~*~*  
  
Zora looked around the house she was led into. It was typical: couch, television, carpeting in the living room, from what she could see from where she stood, a relaxed-looking dinning room. Stairs went up to the second floor. She caught Malik looking at her. She attempted to smile and said, "It's nice... but why did you bring me here?"  
  
Malik jerked his head toward stairs leading down, presumably to the basement. "C'mon, I have to show you something..." As he turned to lead the way, Zora caught sight of his face. His mouth was twisted and his eyes held guilt in them. It looked like he was being forced to do something he knew was wrong. A chill crept up Zora's back and made the hairs on the nape of her neck stand up.  
  
"...N-no, no thanks, Malik," she stammered, "I think I should be getting home now...Yugi and Yami will wonder where I am by now." Her eyes slid over the dark stairwell and she suppressed a shudder that threatened to wrack her frame. Malik stopped suddenly, his back to her. "Look Malik, it's already starting to get dark out..." She gestured weakly toward the window where the sun's last rays were shining through. Malik slowly turned, his body stiff. He stared at Zora with hard, cold, dark purple eyes. Zora unconsciously stepped toward the door, which was slightly ajar. She took another step and jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the door, mouthing wordlessly. Finally she managed to squeak out, "I...I'll, uh...see you around, Malik...gotta go, you know...people to see, stuff to do..."  
  
Malik's frowning mouth twisted into a horrible sneer, a smile that might appear on a hawk that has cornered its helpless prey. "Oh no no no, that won't do. You're staying right here." He loosened the Sennen Rod from his belt with practiced ease and formed light-bonds around Zora's hands and feet. Malik, who was no longer Malik, strode over to where Zora was struggling to stay upright.  
  
Zora summoned all the courage she had and glared at the person in front of her. "Who are you? What are you? Why are you doing this? Let me go!" She tugged vainly at the bands of light that kept her from running away, like a sensible person would have done long ago.  
  
"Tsk tsk tsk...so many questions. I don't like questions. But...I think I will answer those, and only those, mind you. I am Marik, the spirit of the Sennen Rod, and I need you to lure the Pharaoh here. There, all done! Now come with me." Marik picked her up and slung her across his back, starting across the room.  
  
"No!" Zora screamed. There was a flash of golden light and another girl appeared crouching in front of Marik, solid, free of bonds, and looking pissed. Then her expression cleared and she shifted into a more comfortable position rather than a battle-stance.  
  
One of Marik's eyes twitched, unnoticed. "Dear sister, how are you? I must admit, I'm surprised you didn't find me sooner; you were always ambitious. You even said once that not even death could stop you... So I tested that hypothesis... Seems you were right."  
  
Siri looked around the room ran a finger over the tattoo beneath her eye in a gesture of boredom. "Yeah," she drawled, "You were always like that: jealous, sneaky... a slimy, nasty, spineless back-stabbing son of a bitch...you know, stuff like that." She flicked a miniscule speck of dust off her shirt. "But I'm afraid that I'm going to have to kill you now for trying to harm my abiou. Sorry about that." She lunged towards Marik; her hands outstretched like talons. But Marik was faster. He dodged her attack, and as Siri was picking herself up for another go, Marik plucked the Sennen Bracelet off Zora's arm and threw it expertly out the still slightly open front door. It clattered on the opposite sidewalk. Siri fell to her knees, gasping in pain. She clutched her middle and clenched see-through fingers. Zora already could see through her entire body, and she was rapidly getting fainter. "You bastard..." Siri whispered with potent venom in her voice, but in the next second she was gone, the link to her host cut.  
  
"Siri..." Zora felt woozy and light-headed. It was like vertigo with your head stuffed with cotton balls. She was faintly aware of a mind-numbing pain slicing through her chest. Siri's pain. She looked up at Marik's sneer of triumph with half-lidded eyes and immediately felt enraged with herself. 'I cannot play "damsel in distress"! I can't wait for someone to save me! There's too much on the line! And I have to help Siri now, and save Malik, because I know he has nothing to do with this. ...But I feel so tired... What's wrong with me...?'  
  
"Come along," Marik said, once again lifting Zora up. He started across the room. "Where were we? Ah, yes, I was telling you that you were bait. Heh, must be nice to know that as soon as the Pharaoh gets here I'll kill you, ne?" He chuckled.  
  
"Malik?" A new voice said from near the door. "Do you know..." Yugi stopped and gaped.  
  
Yami poked his head in. "Aibou? What is the matter?" He looked from his friend to the figures standing halfway across the room. The breath caught in his chest. "Marik!" He thundered. He started to run across, but stopped when Marik put the dagger he had hidden in the Rod to Zora's throat. "Let her go. Now!"  
  
Marik smirked and pressed the blade harder against Zora's throat, making a thin red rivulet of blood trickle down. "I don't think you're in a position to make demands, Pharaoh."  
  
Yami glowered and took a step back. His mind raced frantically. "I'll duel you for her!" He cried suddenly, falling back on his strong point.  
  
"A Shadow game?" Yami swallowed and nodded almost imperceptibly. Marik assumed a thoughtful expression, then he spoke. "Only if I get to make the rules."  
  
Yami blinked. Marik wasn't acting like himself at all. Yami warily agreed. Marik said, "The girl and him," glancing at Yugi, "will stay here. If he tries to free her or get help, I automatically win."  
  
Yami looked at Yugi, who nodded and closed the front door. Yami turned back to Marik. "Yugi's agreed. Now let's start."  
  
Marik placed Zora on the couch, where she sat and stared at the floor, mute. Yami looked questioningly at her, but her eyes were dull and she refused to meet his gaze. He was brought back to his senses when all around them went dark, black and purple making up the swirling ground and sky.  
  
Marik bared his teeth at Yami in a mockery of a smile. "Here are the rules of the game, Pharaoh. We'll make this an instant death match, with a few catches here and there. We will shuffle our decks and draw ten cards, not looking at them. Then we will hold out the cards to the other player, face down, and that player picks one of his opponent's cards and summons it. Get it so far? Then we have the option to pick another card, but if it's a monster, then your first monster automatically destroys it. We will then battle with those cards: one on one. Stronger one wins, obviously."  
  
Yami scowled at the spirit. "And the catches?"  
  
Marik chuckled. "Ah, yes, of course, your Majesty." He said the word like a vile insult. "This being the Shadow Realm, all Dark-, Spellcaster- and Fiend-type monsters get a three hundred point boost, all Fairies get a three hundred point reduction."  
  
"Is that all?" Yami tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, but it didn't quite work.  
  
Marik smirked, glad to know that he was getting under the Pharaoh's skin. "...No... If you pull a Trap card, you automatically lose. If you get a Magic card you can use it to power up your monster. Fair?"  
  
"One more thing, do effects work?"  
  
"No, just attack points versus attack points."  
  
"Fine then. Shuffle your deck."  
  
Marik took out his deck and shuffled it. He pulled ten cards and held them out to Yami, holding them so they faced down. Yami let his hand drift over the cards, thinking. Finally his fingers rested on one in the middle and he pulled it out. Marik stared as Yami flipped it over and showed him, smirking. "The Dark Magician (ATK/2500 DEF/2100)?!"  
  
Yami smiled more broadly as he shuffled his deck. "Yes, and his attack is one of the highest. I won't draw again." He drew ten cards, looking slightly confused. He voiced his thoughts. "Marik, I didn't know that you kept a Dark Magician in your deck..."  
  
Marik only said, "I don't," and drew a card. Before Yami could say anything Marik spoke again. "It's a Magic card. I'll draw again." He picked up another and turned it over. A maniacal grin spread across his face. "Red Eyes Black Dragon!" He cried, showing Yami. "It's a Dark monster, so its attack went from 2400 to 2700! Higher than your pathetic Magician's!"  
  
Yami smiled knowingly. "But my Magician is Dark too, and a Spellcaster, so now his attack is 3100! Dark Magician, use Dark Magic Attack!"  
  
Marik burst out laughing, a chill sound that had no hint of merriment in it. "You fool! Did you forget? My Magic card, Malevolent Nuzzler! (Magic Card—A monster equipped with this card increases its attack by 700 points. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can pay 500 Life Points to place it on top of your Deck.) My Dragon's attack is now 3400! Red Eyes, attack the Dark Magician!"  
  
There was a massive explosion as the two supercharged attacks hit. When the smoke cleared, only Marik's Red Eyes was standing. Yami took a shuddering breath and dropped to his knees, the cards in his hand scattering across the floor. He had lost... The infamous King of Games had lost... and not to Seto Kaiba, not to Yugi, no...To Marik. Yami felt sick.  
  
Marik's laughter pealed again as he dissolved the Shadow Realm around them. They were again in Malik's living room, with Zora sitting listlessly on the couch where Marik had placed her, Yugi sitting anxiously beside her, Yami kneeling on the rug, and Marik's laughter ringing around the room. Yugi looked at Yami, wanting an answer, and fearing it at the same time. Yami would not look at him. Marik finally slowed his bout of joy. "Tell you what, Pharaoh," he said, still grinning, "if you're so sure she want to go with you then take her, she's yours! Bwahahahahaa!" (AN ^^ I'm sorry to interrupt, but before you all flame me for having Marik be OOC, I must inform you that he's being... ...influenced. You'll see. And I just couldn't pass up that thought of Marik laughing... *drools*)  
  
Yami stared at Marik, who had sat down in a chair, continuing to chuckle at something he apparently found infinitely amusing. Yami got up off the floor, glaring self-consciously, and strode to where Yugi and Zora sat. Yugi jumped up and hugged Yami around the neck. Yami turned a delicate pink and gently removed Yugi's arms; he grabbed Zora's wrist and pulled to get her upright. She didn't budge. Marik finally stopped his laughing and lounged in the chair. "I don't think she wants to go with you, Pharaoh." The Eye glowed on his forehead.  
  
"What did you do to her?" Yami said quietly, but the white-hot fury was unmistakable. His right hand twitched, as if he longed for nothing more than to Mind Crush Marik.  
  
Marik picked at the imaginary dirt beneath his fingernails. "Oh, nothing much. Tweaked emotions here, separation from the other half of her spirit there...and the result. Actually, I didn't do much she was always like that underneath." He looked at Zora. "She's pitiful, isn't she? Spoiled rotten." A muscle in Zora's neck twitched ever so slightly. "She wants to have everything done for her and not lift a finger. She's quite the typical helpless maiden, waiting to be rescued from danger by Prince Charming so they can fall in love and live happily ever after." He strode over to Zora and lifted her chin with a finger so he could look at her face. Her eyes were dull and stared at nothing. "Hn. Not even pretty. A certain exotic appeal, I'll grant you that, Pharaoh. But she's incurably stupid. Heh, 'Birds of a feather...' eh, Pharaoh?" Both Yami and Yugi edged away from Marik and closer to Zora. He was acting almost friendly, if you excluded the scathing insults. He was talkative, too. Why had he drawn them here? Surely this couldn't be it? "But," Marik continued, still holding Zora's chin, "I suppose that if she doesn't want to go with you, she could always stay..." He gave a feral grin and lowed his head, placing his lips firmly over Zora's.  
  
Four things happened in rapid sequence: There was a flash of light and Siri, slightly transparent and clutching her chest, charged toward Marik and Zora with an unrivaled fury, Yami, taking heart from Siri's sudden appearance, charged forward also, and finally Yugi gasped at Marik's kiss, Siri's materialization, Yami's attack, and the fourth thing. This fourth happening I will now tell you. They were no longer in Malik's living room, they, in fact, were no longer on the Earth: they could see it hanging hugely below them. Marik had disappeared, the Sennen Bracelet was again on Zora's wrist, and there was a man-like figure with several pairs of wings standing, or rather floating, before them.  
  
Siri gathered Zora up in an embrace of mutual relief. The girl clung to the spirit, eyes shut and shaking. Yami grasped Yugi's hand as all four of them floated closer to the unearthly man. Yugi had a sudden thought of how they could breathe in a vacuum, but it was banished by the man's voice.  
  
My children, I hope you bring me good news.   
  
The voice was both huge and intimidating and gentle and soothing. For some reason, it brought back happy memories to all present. They each re-lived those moments before any one could answer. There was a silence. The winged man seemed to be waiting for them to say something. Yami spoke out. "What do you mean 'good news'? We don't know whom—what—you are. And where are we?"  
  
The man made a shrugging motion, which quite spectacular, involving his four arms to spread gracefully, and the many wings to extend and shimmer, causing the space around him to brighten slightly. What is Where? What is When? There is only Now, Before, and Later. As to who we are...? He smiled, revealing small fangs. We are no one of consequence, he said.  
  
Siri did not like riddles. She scowled and said, "Stop speaking in Tongues. We want to go home."  
  
And go home you shall. He boomed quietly. But first tell me, did you let Anzu take any of the Sennen Items?   
  
Zora stared at her shoes, but Siri and Yugi looked to Yami. He said, "No, everyone has their own. ...Well the Tomb Robber has the Sennen Eye, but I'm sure I can persuade him to give it back." He smiled slightly.  
  
The man nodded casually flicked some fingers at him, causing the crops in ancient Mesopotamia to flourish for the entire season. Good. And did you beat Marik?   
  
Yami hung his head. The answer was quite apparent. Strangely, the man seemed to be happy. Ah, everything according to plan. But, you should know, Yami, that it was I who defeated you, not Marik. Yami looked questioningly at the bright, floating man, but it was rather hard, considering that he didn't know what to look at. We inhabited Marik's body while you two were picking your cards. We put your own Dark Magician in your hand, and Malevolent Nuzzler and the Red Eyes in his Marik's. After that we left, but we didn't know if you were going to Banish him or similar. Our powers are vast, but not omnipotent. Now that you know, you may go home. He paused.  
  
Zora looked up. "Why?" It was the first this she had said since Marik had torn away the Sennen Bracelet.  
  
The man's wings shimmered again, she gathered that it was similar to a sigh. All right. What do you want to know? Why we brought you here? Or why no one cared that you seemed to pop out of nowhere and no one cared? Or why Marik took it out on you? Or why you were given a Sennen Item?   
  
"...Yes."  
  
Again the shimmer. I knew that something bad was going to happen, something that might effect the whole cosmos if I didn't nip it in the bud, as you humans say. We needed someone who Yami and his friends could care about, and someone who could free Siri. Not many fit that bill.   
  
"But why me? This isn't even my world!"  
  
The man made a motion of brushing away Zora's comments, which made a few dinosaurs die. Yes it is, just a different universe. And if something happens in this universe, it could effect all the others too. So--   
  
"Wait. 'All the others'? There are more?"  
  
Thousands, probably. Maybe even more than we have numbers for. It's like a chain-reaction, the butterfly effect.   
  
Yugi nodded. "The butterfly effect, otherwise known as the chaos theory. A butterfly flaps its wings in Japan and there's a hurricane in the United States."  
  
Yes. Well, on to more interesting things than random destruction. The man said dryly, quirking a finely arched eyebrow. It's time for everyone to go their separate ways. I'll give you two minutes. He made a complex flourish and retreated.  
  
Zora looked at Yugi and tears slid down her cheeks, unbidden. She grabbed him in a bear hug that crushed the air out of his lungs and both sobbed and laughed into his shoulder about how she was going to miss him. "It's okay, Zora." Yugi managed to squeak. She slowly stopped crying and released him, then laughed, embarrassed, as he desperately pulled air into his lungs.  
  
Zora turned to Yami. He turned faintly pink and held out his hand. "It...was nice to meet you, Zora. I'm sorry you have to go."  
  
Zora's eyes brimmed with tears again. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. She didn't...couldn't...say any more. Slowly she let go and turned to Siri.  
  
The spirit had her back to her. "Siri..." Zora began.  
  
"No. I don't want to hear it. I'm going with you and that's final."  
  
Zora slipped her hand into Siri's and rested her head on her yami's shoulder; all her innocence and love and trust going into that simple gesture. Siri's lip quivered, but no tear fell. She had promised herself that she would not cry, because, as everyone knew, she was not going to part with her hikari. This was not goodbye. She wouldn't let it be. The shining man swept Yami and Yugi up and deposited them in Malik's house where they wondered why they were there and what they had been doing, all memories of Siri, Zora, the Sennen Bracelet, and the duel with Marik forgotten. They vaguely felt that they had lost something, but neither voiced it to the other.  
  
Then the unearthly being's vast power swirled around girl and spirit. Zora felt a mental tug. And then again, harder. The man was trying to take her and Siri apart! 'No, not after all I've been through...' Zora thought desperately as the tug came again, wrenching her soul. "No!" She tried to cry, but the exclamation was lost in the howling dirge that she was wrapped up in. "Siri!..." All was black.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Zora bolted up. She looked wildly around. Refrigerator. Stove. Ice cream bowl half-filled with the cold dessert. The television on, but with static. She looked down. Pajamas. Slightly dirty tile floor chilling her bare feet. She was home. Instantly she felt a wash of happiness followed closely by acute pain that drowned everything else out. Yami was gone. And Yugi. And she didn't get to say good-bye to Seto and Joey and Ryou and the others... And Siri. Siri didn't let her say goodbye...  
  
A sob worked its way up and burst out of her mouth. Before she knew it, she was sobbing on the couch. But as the tears drained away, Zora realized she was being stupid. It was obviously all a dream induced by...low blood sugar or illness or something. She sat up and wiped her eyes. 'That's it, a really, really weird and realistic day-dream.'  
  
//Hey!// an indignant voice demanded in her head. //Just who are you calling a day-dream?//  
  
Zora smiled as she realized it was...  
  
The End.  
  
(SD: Yes, I know the ending was really stupid, but this thing was unfinished for months and I hadn't written in months, and it was driving me insane. But! I did manage to explain –most- of the incredibly idiotic "plot" with the stupid ending. So there. See the next 'chapter' for thank you's and Super Chibi Otogi! Cookies for minna-san!) 


	13. Thanks!

SD: doing the cabbage-patch I diiid it. I diiid it. Oh, yeah! Go me! Go, go!

Otogi: --;; Yeah. Go you for finishing what you should've finished months ago.

SD: Hey! I had...stuff...to do...and...stuff...

Otogi: Point taken.

SD: I am obliged to say thank-you to all the people who reviewed and whatnot!

Yume Tenchi – Yeah! Kill 'em all!

Poe – Argh -does- seem to be pretty popular, doesn't it?

Pruningshears – Glad you liked the comments, and I made the chapter longer, like you and Poe wanted.

Magician Of Faith – Your review made my day! Gods. . . I sound like a Valentines' candy heart. . . 

Flambe: Master of Pyromaniacy – pouts I don't like people like you very much (or at all, that review was totally unnecessary), but thank you for your "concern".

And special thanks to:

Crazy For Bakura –Arigatou for reviewing so, so much

Hiei's Gurl 247 –you change your name so often! It's confuzzling... xx;;

Fade131 – ...and then there's you. Bah. snickers Just kidding Fade-chan!

Super-Chibi-Otogi (SCO): I wub 'oo sooo mush!! hugs all reviewers and readers-but-non-reviewers

All except Fade131: ;; Okaaayy...

Fade131: It's so CUTE! glomps SCO 

SD: Right. So thanks again to everyone, even if you're just gonna read and not review, because I do that to!

Otogi: Be sure to check out Silver-chan's other works, Dying Rose and Save Me starring yours truly!

SCO: Bai-bai! waves


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